VPN for Home Network

[NateDawg]

Since I deal with mostly home users, I am hoping some of the business technicians can give me a hand. I will be the first to admit that I have a lack of knowledge when it comes to business networking; however, here is what I am trying to do.

I want to set up a vpn for my home network. I am currently researching VPN to get a better understanding of it; however, I still need some help. Basically, what I want to do is to access my home network from a remote site and be able to use my home internet. Why would I want to use my home internet? When I am on a public wifi/internet, I want to have the security of VPN and my home internet to do business transactions. However, this may/may not be possible. I don't have a server nor will I have a computer up and running 24/7. With the little research I have done thus far, I have seen different VPN routers. I am not sure if any of those would do the trick.

I know I am a dummy when it comes to VPN, but I am learning. While accessing my home computer would be a plus, I mainly want the security of using my home internet to conduct online transactions while on public wifi/internet. This concept may not be possible without the use of a server, but I am hoping a VPN router would do the trick. If at all possible, any ideas would be great. Thanks in advance.

[cyabro]

Probably the easiest way to do what you want is to use something like LogMeIn Hamachi.
It's free VPN software that allows easy setup of a VPN between one or more machines over the Internet.

[Fixedathome.com]

Originally Posted by cyabro

Probably the easiest way to do what you want is to use something like LogMeIn Hamachi.
It's free VPN software that allows easy setup of a VPN between one or more machines over the Internet.

It's only free for non-commercial use though.

[seedubya]

What you're suggesting doing is terribly ineffecient and I can't think of any graceful way to get it working. You're talking about bridging some's public network to your own private one just so that you can browse the net. Anyway why would you even bother? Just use LMI free to get to your home machine and then use the internet from there. Simples!

[NateDawg]

Originally Posted by seedubya

What you're suggesting doing is terribly ineffecient and I can't think of any graceful way to get it working. You're talking about bridging some's public network to your own private one just so that you can browse the net. Anyway why would you even bother? Just use LMI free to get to your home machine and then use the internet from there. Simples!

Apparently, I don't know much about VPN. For my job, I was recently issued a laptop and we access the domain via VPN, and I am able to connect to internet. Maybe because we are connecting to the servers at work. I thought using a VPN router would allow me to use my home internet, without having to have my computers on. Based on what I reading here, it may not be possible. Are there any other suggestions without using Log Me In free or use of a server? If my idea is not possible, then I will ask no further, but I do ask what is the best way to set up a VPN for the home.

Thanks in advance.

[AtYourService]

get a router compatible with ddwrt
reflash it
setup vpn or open vpn
no need for other network computers to be on unless you need files or resources from them

[seedubya]

Originally Posted by AtYourService

get a router compatible with ddwrt
reflash it
setup vpn or open vpn
no need for other network computers to be on unless you need files or resources from them

Still doesn't address the "Why?" though. DD-WRT is great but it can't compensate for routing all the DNS/HTTP/SMTP traffic etc. over a VPN.

[rsarceno]

Originally Posted by NateDawg

Apparently, I don't know much about VPN. For my job, I was recently issued a laptop and we access the domain via VPN, and I am able to connect to internet. Maybe because we are connecting to the servers at work. I thought using a VPN router would allow me to use my home internet, without having to have my computers on. Based on what I reading here, it may not be possible. Are there any other suggestions without using Log Me In free or use of a server? If my idea is not possible, then I will ask no further, but I do ask what is the best way to set up a VPN for the home.

Thanks in advance.

There's several ways to setup a VPN. You can use a router/firewall, a VPN concentrator or Server OS like Microsoft.

Be care full using Microsoft or other server VPN because your just asking for trouble if your planning to implement VPN with one NIC. Not hard to setup "click Control Panel, click Network and Internet Connections and follow the instruction"

The ideal method is Router/firewall or VPN concetrator. Check "Linksys Wireless-G VPN Router" It sells around $50 - $100.

There are two types of VPN connection. Site to SIte and Client to Site. With a site to site, the VPN is establish between routers/firewall. Everything is transparent to the desktop /user.

The other Client to Site where the desktop load the VPN agent and connect to VPN router/server.

As you know when you establish VPN your desktop becames a node on the VPN site. Example, before you establish VPN, your IP could be 192.168.0.1. After you connect to the VPN site, your IP address could change to something like 10.0.0.1

Once your IP change to 10.0.0.1, most likely your default gateway will be pointing to the VPN router or server. This means any traffic will be going to the VPN router/server including internet traffic. Not always the case be normally the default setup. If VPN is running and you decided to do http, you might be using the VPN site internet and not your local ISP.

Most people will recommend remote access or VNC which is different from VPN. Remote access is normally just a screen capture of the host being transmitted. The software has to be loaded o the host.

The best part of VPN is security. Remote access is secured but not as good as VPN.

Hope this info helps.

Roel
__________________________________________________ ______
Sarceno Network Consulting
http://www.snccomputerrepair.com/

[jbartlett323]

Windows7 can natively run as a VPN server also. http://social.technet.microsoft.com/...3-612901bcfa2f