What Is A Virtual Private Network (VPN)?
A virtual private network (VPN) can either be a remote access or site-to-site network – whatever the case, you’ll need specific software and hardware to build a VPN. For instance, you may need a desktop software client for each remote user, dedicated hardware (a concentrator or secure PIX firewall), a dedicated server for dial-up, a network access server for use by a service provider for remote users to access VPN, and a network and policy management center.
There is no single way to put together a VPN, which is why most companies come up with a solution for their own needs. Most VPNs, however, make use of Cisco VPN technology simply because it is the most widely used equipment for networking in the world.
So what are some of the hardware components you will need, in addition to VPN software? One component is called a concentrator. This piece of equipment is good for remote access, with encryption and authentication techniques that are quite advanced. With high availability, performance, and scalability, this piece of hardware also includes SEP modules that let you increase capacity and throughput. VPN concentrators sold work in small business situations, as well as in larger businesses, with up to 10,000 remote users.
A VPN optimized router is used for scalability, routing, security, and quality of service. This piece of equipment is usually based on the Cisco IOS VPN software – you can find routers for many different networking needs. Small offices make use of them, as well as larger businesses.
If you’re setting up a virtual private network, you’re also going to need a secure PIX firewall. A PIX (private Internet exchange) firewall comes with dynamic network address translation, proxy server, packet filtration, firewall and VPN capabilities all in one. A Cisco VPN always makes use of this type of hardware to set up an SSL VPN, although a PIX usually doesn’t use the Cisco IOS software, but an efficient operating system that is designed to perform exceptionally well.
VPNs are used to connect offices and workstations together over a private network for various purposes. The type of software you implement depends on the type of network you are building. Most Cisco networks use a Cisco VPN client and software, for compatibility reasons. No matter what VPN client you use, an SSL should be set up to work as efficiently as possible, and have the proper security measures put in place to protect the dissemination of data.
Things have really changed in the past few years, with companies being forced to deal with worldwide markets and offices in different locations across the globe. With segments of modern businesses often spread out across different locations, the most important technology is the virtual private network. VPNs allow companies to maintain internal communications that are fast, safe, and reliable. Modern VPN technology and equipment give businesses the opportunity to do this inexpensively. Without the reliable communication capabilities of a VPN, companies wouldn’t run so well.
WOW!! A 100mbps connection! Great video!
June 20th, 2010 at 5:14 amHEY NICE VID…..CHECK OUT MINE
June 20th, 2010 at 6:08 amHamachi: zero config's; just install and set up on each machine.
June 20th, 2010 at 6:28 amEasy as pie, just follow the short instructions.
Freeware. Google for download site.
The primary purpose of a VPN is for a user to connect to an office network. Generally either on the road or from home. This would enable you to share network resources from a remote location. (IE a file that you have on a server at work would be available to you at home or on the road).
Its not so much that it makes a connection more secure — again, it is mostly just a way to connect to another network. It could be viewed as being a really long network cable — except that you are using the internet as your cable.
Cisco is quite a popular VPN client/server setup. Otherwise some routers (Linksys, etc) have a VPN option you can setup.
June 20th, 2010 at 6:44 amThere are software solutions as well…
http://compnetworking.about.com/od/vpn/tp/vpnsoftwarefree.htm is a listing of a few choices — I've not used any of them myself but I have heard of OpenVPN being used before.
Yes you can.
June 20th, 2010 at 2:19 pmJune 20th, 2010 at 2:45 pm
i realize you want to save money, but it's not worth it if you have to spend $300 on some sub-par machine
there are $300 laptops if you check ebay, walmart, circuitcity, bestbuy, etc but they have the oldest and slowest processors, old outdated parts for graphics, very little plugins for usb devices, etc and minimal ram they don't even make any more
they're already outdated
you'd be much happier getting a warranty, getting something that actually has resale value, decent parts, decent ram, isn't outdated, etc if you spend $499 on a dell inspiron 1501
June 20th, 2010 at 3:03 pmNice vid dude… but please, if you’re going to have your video capture follow your mouse cursor, stop moving your mouse so much! I started feeling dizzy!
June 21st, 2010 at 11:20 amYou don't want a VPN, I think you misunderstand what it is. VPN's are used for business purposes such as an employee accessing the corporate network from their home computer. This requires specialized hardware and software and is way too advance for what you want to do. You simply want your home computers networked to share files. This can be done by connecting your PC's to a switch either hardwired or wireless, then running Windows network setup wizard on each PC. That should do the trick.
June 21st, 2010 at 11:36 amIt is a software service that appears to the other software on your computer to be another network conenction, but traffic sent to it is encrypted and sent on to its destination via a physical network interface. It should be very secure but only as long as you traffic is inside the VPN. If you are using it for internet access your traffic will not be visible to your ISP but it must eventually leave the VPN to connect to the rest of the internet, at which point it is unencrypted and visible. However, the origins of the traffic should be much harder to determine so it can't be traced back to you.
June 21st, 2010 at 12:47 pmEven though I have good internet connection, Hamachi has low connection with my laptop. Can you help me?
June 21st, 2010 at 2:59 pmif I understood your question correctly, then the VPN router has the same function as the VPN server,
June 22nd, 2010 at 1:11 amyou can use either of them, without the other.
Basically it is a secure connections from one place to another like from your house to your work. A business can setup a large vpn to have everyone communicate and send files to each other securely.
June 22nd, 2010 at 8:29 amDoes this work like a LAN connection, I mean, if you create your own network and a friend joins, can you play, for example, Counter-Strike 1.6 in LAN?
June 22nd, 2010 at 11:25 amTry here -> http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vpn
June 22nd, 2010 at 8:28 pmis dere any vpn dat works for wireless? does dis work on wireless? or only wired…. cuz i really need a proxy
June 23rd, 2010 at 3:03 pmhey where is my comment?
June 23rd, 2010 at 3:43 pm@Atriebeejs yes U can
June 23rd, 2010 at 4:12 pm