If you are working or studying in NTU (Nanyang Technological University), you may want to connect to NTU’s VPN from home sometimes (for some remote desktop for example). I have tried to follow the instructions at http://www.ntu.edu.sg/cits/itnetworking/remoteaccess/Pages/quickstartguide.aspx. Those methods works great on Windows 7, Windows 8.0 and Windows 8.1 as well. However, I don’t really like to install Juniper or NTURAS VPN on my laptop, mainly because it is already very messy and I don’t want to make it any messier, so I tried to setup a VPN connection manually and now it becomes so convenient connect.

Ok, so before showing the instructions, I will show the results first. After all the set up, this is what you will get.

It requires some setups but I think it is more convenient because it is always there in the charm. You don’t have to open a separate application and you don’t have to open any web page at all! Just press Connect and done.

(And since this method does not require installing any x86 application, I think it would work on Surface RT as well. Please let me know if you find otherwise.)

8 simple steps on Windows 8.1

1. Open the Network and Sharing Center (by right clicking the Wi-fi icon in the system tray and choose Open Network and Sharing Center or look for it in the Control Panel)

2. Press Set up a new connection or network

3. Choose Connect to a workplace

4. Choose Use my internet connection (VPN)

5. Enter the Internet address as vpngate.ntu.edu.sg. You can choose any name for the connection and select Remember my credentials if you wants to.

6. The charm will open shortly after with the new VPN connection. Now you just have to click Connect.

7. You will have to enter User name and Password the first time you try to connect or every time if you don’t choose Remember my credential

And now you are ready to connect to the VPN.