Here's how to setup a GetEngaged "Personal VPN" connection in Kaboodle:

1.	Download Kaboodle and start it up.

It's probably a safe bet that you've already done this step. But just in case... the first time Kaboodle runs, it registers some special file-types with Windows, and these file-types are used by GetEngaged.

2.	Give your Network a good name.

Once you are connected with your GetEngaged partners, they will see your network connected, with the "Network Name" you give it. So you might as well choose a good name. To set your Kaboodle "Network Name", double-click the "Network Icon" in the upper-left of the Kaboodle GUI, and enter a name into the text box. Then click "Okay".

3.	Choose a "Master Node" for your Kaboodle network.

The Kaboodle "Master Node" is the PC on your network which does most of the behind-the-scenes work of coordinating Kaboodle's features. You should set the "Master Node" to be your "best" PC: the one with the most CPU power and the best network card as it will become the "hub" for all GetEngaged connections to and from your LAN. You can set the "Master Node" for your network in the same "Network Icon" window that you set the "Network Name". Just choose one of your Kaboodle PC's from the dropdown list, then click "Okay".

4.	Create a GetEngaged Registration file.

There are two partners in every GetEngaged connection, and each partner needs their own Registration File in order to establish a GetEngaged digital identity. To create this Registration File, open a web-browser to the GetEngaged File Server and create an "account" there using an email address that your intended GetEngaged partners know is you.

5.	Download and install your GetEngaged Registration file.

Once you've created an account on the GetEngaged File Server. click the "Download Registration File" link to the right of your name. This will start the transfer of a file named "RegisterFile.ecf". Tell your web-browser to save this file somewhere on your hard-drive.

Then in Windows, go to that file and double-click on it. Kaboodle will then open that file, check its integrity, and install it appropriately. If everything proceeds normally you should see this popup-message in Windows:

6.	Create a GetEngaged Partnership.

To create a Partnership with another registered GetEngaged user, click the "Create New Partnership" button in the GetEngaged File Server webpage. The page that comes up asks you for your Partner's email address, and for a "common password", something you and your partner have agreed to use for GetEngaged purposes. You can leave the password field blank if you wish, but by using it you can be that much more confident that only your partner has access to this partnership.

7.	Download and install a GetEngaged Partnership File.

Just as the Registration File identifies the two partners in a GetEngaged connection, a Partnership File identifies the two sides of the connection itself. Once you've created a Partnership with another registered GetEngaged user, you'll see their email address in your list of "Active Partnership Requests". Click the "Download" button to the right of their name, and you will start downloading a file named "Partnership.ecf". Tell your web-browser to save this file somewhere on your hard-drive. As before, double-click on this file in Windows and you should see the same Windows popup as before telling you that the Partnership file was installed successfully.

Please note that both you and your VPN partner needs to correctly install Registration and Partnership files for a GetEngaged connection to work!

8.	Verify that Zebedee is working correctly with Kaboodle.

After you've installed Registration and Partnership Files into Kaboodle, you should verify that Zebedee has detected the files correctly and is ready to go. Double-click on the VPN Service icon in the top row of the Kaboodle GUI, and click on the "User Status" tab. It should display the email address you registered with on the GetEngaged File Server, and it should indicate that the Zebedee server is active and running.

9.	Setup your firewall/router to work with GetEngaged

Most broadband (e.g., DSL, cable-modem, etc.) Internet users have some sort of firewall or NAT'ing router connecting their small networks to the Internet. If your PC is behind a firewall, router, gateway or NAT'ing modem, you'll need to make some "port-forwarding" adjustments to allow a direct GetEngaged connection to work. Since it uses Zebedee as its VPN engine, the default TCP port for GetEngaged is the Zebedee default, 11965 (in the "Advanced" tab of the VPN Service icon, you can customize this to whatever you want). In the administrative console of your firewall/router, port-forward this TCP port number to the IP address of the PC that's the Kaboodle "Master Node" for your network. If you are unable to administer your firewall settings, by using KaboodleProxy you can still create VPN connections with your partners without either of you having to adjust your firewall settings at all. You can learn all about KaboodleProxy, including a free evaluation of its capabilities, here.

10.	Pick a GetEngaged partner to connect with and...Connect!

Once you and your VPN partner have a Zebedee server active and running, only one of you needs to initiate the connection between your networks. To do this, open the VPN Service icon in the top row of the Kaboodle GUI, and click on the "GetEngaged" tab. In the top half of the page, choose the VPN partner you want to connect with in the dropdown list. In the middle of the page, choose the connection method you want to use. If you've connected with your partner before, or if you're using KaboodleProxy, choosing "Automatic" should be fine. If this is your first connection, or if "Automatic" doesn't result in a connection, choose "Specify an Internet Address". You will then be promoted for an address. You can enter either a FQDN (e.g., "partner_bob.echogent.com") or an IP address (e.g., "66.123.20.58"), either will work.

Once you've selected a partner to connect with, and a connection method, the "Connect..." button will activate. Click it...and you'll connect!

Questions/comments? Send email to kaboodle-user@lists.sourceforge.net