Telecommuting with OS X Part I – Connecting to Your Workplace

Step 3. Configure your VPN client. For this tutorial, we will deal with OS X’s built in VPN client.

OS X 10.5 Leopard Instructions:
- Go to the System Preferences
- Click on Network
- Click on the padlock and enter the Administrator password if necessary.
- Click on the plus sign on the lower right.

- Click on the first menu option and choose VPN.
- Using the information IT gave you, choose either L2TP over IPSec or PPTP and name it if you prefer.

- To connect, in the Network preferences, click on your VPN in the menu.
- Enter the login and password IT gave you, then click on Connect.

Sounds simple, yet what if the VPN login isn’t so simple for your company?

- Back in the Network preferences, click on your VPN in the menu.
- Choose Authentication Settings.

This is where you would select any special options you may require such as an RSA SecurID, Certificates, or Kerberos (if your Mac is bound to Active Directory for single sign on).

Note: If you need to use certificates, they must be imported through Keychain Access before you can use them with the VPN client. Keychain Access is located in the Utilities Folder (Inside the Applications folder).

To ensure you are completely a part of your company’s network:
- In the Network preferences, select your VPN from the menu and check the Advanced box.
- Check the box next to “Send all traffic over VPN connection”.

OS X 10.4 Tiger Instructions:
- Open Internet Connect (It’s in the Applications folder)
- Click on the VPN tab at the top.
- Find out whether your VPN needs to be L2TP over IPSec or PPTP. (We’ll use L2TP over IPSec for this tutorial)

- Type in the administrator password and the VPN configuration page will open up.

- Type in the VPN Gateway address that IT gave you.
- Type in your login account name and password.
- Press the Connect button.

For special login options such as certificates, shared secrets or RSA tokens:
- At the top, click on the Configuration menu (Where it says “Other…”)
- In the pop up menu, choose Edit Configuration.