How to use Windows Server 2012 as a router

Windows also has many network services. Let's see how to use Windows Server 2012 as a router by installing Remote Access for it!

Table of Contents

Add Remote Access
Set up for the router
Set up VPN for remote connection

Windows also has many network services and you probably already know that it can become a router or a VPN server. Let's see how to use Windows Server 2012 as a router by installing Remote Access for it!

Note : The server should have 2 network cards. One card for LAN and another for Internet.

Add Remote Access

To add Remote Access, follow the steps below:

Step 1 - Go to Server Manager > Manage > Add Roles and Features > Next > Select Role-based installation or Feature-based installation > Select Select a server from the server pool > Next.

After all the steps above are done, at the Roles list , find Remote Access and select it. A window will open.

images 1 of How to use Windows Server 2012 as a router — *Images 1 of How to use Windows Server 2012 as a router*

Step 2 - Click Add Features , and then click Next.

images 2 of How to use Windows Server 2012 as a router — *Images 2 of How to use Windows Server 2012 as a router*

Step 3 - Click Next.

images 3 of How to use Windows Server 2012 as a router — *Images 3 of How to use Windows Server 2012 as a router*

Step 4 - Choose DirectAccess and VPN (RAS) and Routing.

images 4 of How to use Windows Server 2012 as a router — *Images 4 of How to use Windows Server 2012 as a router*

Step 5 - Click Install and wait until the installation is complete.

images 5 of How to use Windows Server 2012 as a router — *Images 5 of How to use Windows Server 2012 as a router*

Set up for the router

After installation is complete, now let's see the router's settings. For this, you need to follow the steps below.

Step 1 - Go to Server Manager> Tools> Routing and Remote Access .

images 6 of How to use Windows Server 2012 as a router — *Images 6 of How to use Windows Server 2012 as a router*

Step 2 - Right-click and then again click the Configure and Enable Routing and Remote Access as shown in the figure below.

images 7 of How to use Windows Server 2012 as a router — *Images 7 of How to use Windows Server 2012 as a router*

Step 3 - Select Network address translation (NAT) option , and then click Next.

images 8 of How to use Windows Server 2012 as a router — *Images 8 of How to use Windows Server 2012 as a router*

Step 4 - Now select the Ethernet card used for the website as shown in the image below and then click Next.

images 9 of How to use Windows Server 2012 as a router — *Images 9 of How to use Windows Server 2012 as a router*

Step 5 - Select I will set up name and address services later after setting up DHCP and DNS, then click Next.

images 10 of How to use Windows Server 2012 as a router — *Images 10 of How to use Windows Server 2012 as a router*

Step 6 - Click the Finish button .

images 11 of How to use Windows Server 2012 as a router — *Images 11 of How to use Windows Server 2012 as a router*

Set up VPN for remote connection

Now let's see how to set up VPN to allow employees to connect from their home. To do this, follow the steps below:

Step 1 - Go to Server Manager > Tools > Routing and Remote Access > Right-click and then click the Configure and Enable Routing and Remote Access > Custom Configuration , then select Next.