This document specifies a protocol which allows the Point to Point Protocol (PPP) to be tunneled through an IP network. PPTP does not specify any changes to the PPP protocol but rather describes a new vehicle for carrying PPP. A client-server architecture is defined in order to decouple functions which exist in current Network Access Servers (NAS) and support Virtual Private Networks (VPNs). The PPTP Network Server (PNS) is envisioned to run on a general purpose operating system while the client, referred to as a PPTP Access Concentrator (PAC) operates on a dial access platform. PPTP specifies a call-control and management protocol which allows the server to control access for dial-in circuit switched calls originating from a PSTN or ISDN or to initiate outbound circuit-switched connections. PPTP uses an enhanced GRE (Generic Routing Encapsulation) mechanism to provide a flow- and congestion-controlled encapsulated datagram service for carrying PPP packets.