Configuration

All DigiTunnel configuration is done in System Preferences. Open the DigiTunnel panel and enter these settings under the General tab:

• Server Address: IP address or Internet host name of the Windows server

• Subnet Mask: Used only if "Route all traffic through VPN" is not checked. To reach servers on the remote LAN other than the Windows server itself, enter the Subnet Mask that would be used for an ordinary client (PC or Mac) on that LAN. Obtain this value from your system administrator. A typical value is 255.255.255.0. If left blank, you can still connect and access services on the Windows server.

If "Route all traffic through VPN" is checked, the subnet mask is not needed because all addresses are reached through the VPN.

• Username: Your login name on the Windows server. For many systems, this must include a Windows domain name, separated with a backslash, like this "DOMAIN\username".

• Password: Your password on the Windows server.

• ^{About Passwords: In all computer systems, passwords are the weakest link in the security chain. Choosing a good password means using a mix of letters and numbers and a *%@$#&^!-+ or two. Don't use names or a word that appears in a dictionary or encyclopaedia. One way to get a good but memorable password is to make up an obscure pass phrase of eight or more words and use initials of the words--and still work in some numbers and symbols. Or use the whole phrase - PPTP passwords may be up to 255 characters.}
  

• Domain Name Servers: These are normally provided on the fly by your Windows server, but you may enter the IP addresses of DNS servers here. If entered, any provided by the server are ignored.

• Search Domains: If your configuration uses them, put them here as you would for any other TCP/IP configuration.

• Enable Encryption: Check this to encrypt the connection to the server. (Obviously this is the whole point of using a VPN.)

• Automatically connect at login: Check this to bring up your VPN whenever you are logged into your Mac.

Menubar modem status: When DigiTunnel connects automatically at login, the modem icon in the menubar does not show connected status. For a reliable status indication, launch Internet Connect. The Internet Connect Dock icon shows a green electrical bolt when connected--this only works when Internet Connect is open. To show status in the dock automatically, add Internet Connect to your Login items and set the "Hide" option (see System Preferences, Login pane).

• Use verbose logging: For diagnostic use, check this to enable detailed logging by the VPN client.

• Advanced: Most users can skip this setting. To set advanced PPTP/PPP options, click here and edit the text field. Enter each option on a separate line in the field. The "mtu" option should always be present--its default value is "mtu 1466". Possible options are documented in the pppd man page. Other than mtu, no other options are known to be useful at this time (the useful options are already set by DigiTunnel or Internet Connect). Custom options may be added in the future.

mtu: This setting sets the maximum size of packets delivered over the tunnel. For some servers or routers, a smaller mtu may improve the quality of your tunnel connection. If your connection is successful but you get errors transferring files or data, try reducing the mtu number by one-third. Repeat with reduced mtu numbers until errors are avoided.. For example, try 1466, 978, 652, 434, ... . There's nothing magical about these particular numbers, except that 1466 is just the right size to fit a tunneled packet in a normal 1500-byte Ethernet packet. Warning: Too small an mtu will cause data transfer to be very slow or fail.

To apply your settings, click Apply Now or close the DigiTunnel panel.

Routes: On the Routes tab, you control the Mac's network routing table used when connected to the VPN. To route all network connections and data through the VPN (as Windows VPN clients do), check "Route all traffic through VPN". If you prefer direct connections to Internet sites (not on the VPN), uncheck this.

When unchecked, the Subnet Mask setting on the General tab creates a VPN route for the subnet that the VPN server belongs to (based on its IP address). DigiTunnel automatically sets OS X routing so that OS X applications connect over the VPN to addresses that belong to the VPN, and over your regular Internet connection to other addresses. This automatic routing should be correct for most uses. Additional routes to the VPN may be added for additional ranges of addresses not covered by the server's Subnet. To add a route, click the "+" button.

Classic: Connections from Classic applications are always routed through the VPN whenever it is connected.

To use Proxies on the VPN, enter settings on the Proxies tab. This is identical to the Proxies tab in Network System Preferences. When the VPN is connected, these proxy settings take effect.

If additional DigiTunnel VPN configurations are desired, use the Configuration popup menu to create them.

DigiTunnel configurations, like other System Preferences, belong to the user who created them. Other users do not have access to your DigiTunnel configurations, but may create and use their own. Changing Network Locations does not affect DigiTunnel configurations.

Serial number entry: Registration status and any demo expiration date is displayed in the About tab. To register, click "Serial..." and enter the serial number provided to you by Gracion Software, along with your name and organization. This information is not sent anywhere--it is simply displayed in the About tab.