How to create a shortcut to a VPN connection?

Question

I have a VPN connection that I'm using heavily. I'd like to setup a shortcut to quickly connect/disconnect this connection. How can this be done?

Solution 1

1 - Open "Network and Sharing Center"
2 - Click "Change adapter settings" in left pane.
3 - Right click on your VPN Connection and create the shortcut

Solution 2

If this is a standard Windows VPN, unless you want to place a copy of it in the startup group or similar, it is actually much quicker to simply click on the connections icon in the taskbar and simply select the VPN and choose connect.

Alternatively, if you click the Start Orb and in search start typing Network Connections until you see the item, then select it (may only need to type a few letters), then you can drag and crate icons like any other file.

Comments

[qroberts]

What kind of VPN is it? Is it the native IPSec one for Windows?

[ripper234]

It is the native kind.

[ripper234]

I'm not seeing this icon (even not under "Select which icons appear in the taskbar")

[Joe_Rose]

Glad it worked!

[William Hilsum]

@ripper234 - just seen this comment... You should have this icon. Take a look in Taskbar settings and you should be able to turn it on

[ripper234]

Not sure why I wasn't seeing it, perhaps I just missed it at the time (Windows 7 hides infrequently used icons).