What is IPsec?
IPsec (Internet Protocol Security) is a security protocol that provides encryption and authentication over the Internet. At Indiana University, IPsec provides a means for users at IU Bloomington and IUPUI to connect directly to the IU network over wireless connections or from remote (i.e., off-campus) locations through a virtual private network (VPN).
Operating systems with IPsec support
The operating systems that natively support IPsec VPN connections are:
- Windows XP Home and Professional and later
- Windows 2000
- Mac OS X 10.3 and later
- Solaris 8 and later
- Various Linux distributions (see individual web sites for which versions)
- Free, Open, and NetBSD (see individual web sites for which versions)
Third-party VPN clients are also available from various companies on the Internet.
Note: Although Windows 2000 does technically support the IPsec protocol, it is a lengthy process to set it up and one that requires editing the registry; therefore, for Windows 2000, the preferred method of connecting to the VPN is to use PPTP; for more information, see In Windows 2000, how do I make a VPN connection to the IU network using PPTP?
For PDAs, Microsoft's Windows Mobile 2003 and 5.0 are the only operating systems known to UITS to possess native IPsec support. PocketPC 2002 and Palm OS require third-party VPN clients. For information regarding any other PDA operating system, consult the manufacturer's documentation.
Settings information
Specific configuration instructions are unique to each platform and operating system, but the following settings are required by all configurations:
| Campus | IPsec VPN server name | ||
|---|---|---|---|
| IUB | ipsec.indiana.edu |
||
| IUPUI | ipsec.iupui.edu |
The IU IPsec VPN shared secret or pre-shared key for both
campuses is hermanbwells .
Configuration instructions at IU
See the appropriate document for your operating system below:
- In Windows XP, how do I make a VPN connection to the IU network?
- In Windows 2000, how do I make a VPN connection to the IU network using PPTP?
- At IUB and IUPUI, in Windows Mobile 2003, how do I make a VPN connection?
- In Mac OS X, how do I make a VPN connection to the IU network?
Also see:
Last modified on December 27, 2007.






