In another segment [VPN Server] we go over the steps required to make your Windows XP computer a VPN Server, capable of accepting a single VPN client connection at a time.

This segment covers how to setup the VPN client connection.

1. Click Start and click the Control Panel.
2. In the Control Panel window, make sure you're in Classic View. If you're in Category View, click the link on the left side of the window that says Switch to Classic View.
3. Double click the Network Connections icon to open the Network Connections applet.
4. Double click on the New Connection Wizard entry in the Network Connections window. Click Next on the Welcome to the New Connection Wizard page.
5. Select the Connect to the network at my workplace option and click Next.
6. On the Network Connection page, select the Virtual Private Network Connection entry and click Next.
7. On the Connection Name page, type in a meaningful name for the connection. Click Next.
8. On the VPN Server Selection page, type in the IP address or the Fully Qualified Domain Name for the Windows XP computer to which you want to connect. The computer may not have a FQDN, so type in the IP address if you don't know the FQDN. Click Next.
9. Select the option to Add a shortcut to this connection to my desktop and click Finish.

Type in a user name and password in the Connect dialog box and click Connect. If everything is working correctly, you'll connect to the other Windows XP computer and be able to access resources on that computer, as well as the network behind it.