The VPN Server!

[Ajsie]

Hi!

Due my searh on the web I found that a VPN is a way to establish secure network connection between two networks over the unsecure internet....okay sound good.

1. Therefore I installed a VPN server in my win xp box at home and installed a connection to VPN server in another xp box (that i remotely can control).

2. Then I established a connection between these two computers and guess what...it worked. In both machines a little icon shows up indicating that a connection has been established....okey thats great!

? But my question is...what can I do when I have established a connection?? Cause I no ****

Some information told me that you can share files/printers and do other stuff and now I have made an succesful connection but what am I supposed to do next?

Thanks beforehands!!

[YeOldeStonecat]

You have to step back and ask why you wanted to connect to your home computer in the first place! Did you want to get access to some database you have? Be able to print to your home computer? Get access to documents/spreadsheets you have? Access to e-mail that you have?

Most of the VPN work I do, I connect with remote control software like PcAnywhere, VNC, or Windows XP's built in Remote Desktop. Example, in a few minutes I'll remote into my office machine to do some work on our client database software. I use a VPN connection to log into the big network we have in our building, then from there, I can remote into my desktop, or any of our servers, and even quite a few of our clients networks because they're on the same overall bandwidth. If your VPN tunnel has enough bandwidth, you can even run some networked applications just like you were on the local network (granted they'll run a whisker slower), or even print to the computer on the other end.

VPN is a more secure method of letting you connect to computers, as opposed to say opening up ports on the firewall for PcAnywhere or VNC.

[Ajsie]

THx for your great answear!

Now i think i got the theory behind it, but my biggest problem is how you do it in the technical way. Now, I have established a connection between two computers running on xp.

So how do I for example read the files or print some papers, check my mails with the remote machine?

I know i am not so smart in this area but i would be pleasant if you gave me some hints and adivces...thx.

[JackMDS]

The answer to your questions is in YOSC post above.

Some of the tasks that you describe are suitable for VPN others will not work well with VPN.

However if your level of knowledge in not as yet there, you better off using remote control software rather then VPN. With secure remote control you can do every thing that you asked about.

Link to: Ultr@VNC (Remote Control over the Internet & Network) - Installation, and Settings.

The above program is not secure by default if you would like to secure it make sure you are adding the encrypt plug-in.

[Ajsie]

Thanks for your reply. Yes, I know that there are some remote control programs that you can use to control a computer like I was sitting in front of it. But my purpose with this whole VPN-connection is to enlarge my knowledge about it and maybe use it for some security reason later in the future. But I cant find that much practical information on the net so I hoped to find some answears here.

My main question is still:

What can I do (little step by step guide) to for example view/edit files/documents, print papers and so on when I have established a VPN connection between two stand-alone computers? Shall I open Explorer or something like that?? Cause I know nothing about the practical ways regarding VPN. Thats my question....

Someone who knows?

[cyberskye]

To answer you directly - You can do anything that you could do on a LAN. The only difference is that a VPN uses an insecure network to pass traffic securely.

Imagine you have two PC's in your room, connected via a hub (private network). You can share files, play games, whatever. VPN allows you to have those same two machines on other sides of the country, connected by the internet (a public network) yet still perform the same tasks - it'll be just like the two are sitting side by side (though the speeds will be quite slow due to bandwidth limitations and encryption overhead). All traffic is encrypted and requires authentication.

It has little practical use for home users. VERY useful for linking satellite offices, or allowing travelling users to access the corporate network from their hotel.

VPN does NOT imply that you have remote control of a system, just puts you on the same network. PCA or vnc are made for that.

[Gort9k]

Just a quick question:

In this matter of VPN versus remote control software, I've realized that (speed related) remote control software beats VPN. Is there any way to speed VPN response?. I am talking about using VPN with a 256Kbps ADSL.

Gracias

[YeOldeStonecat]

Just a quick question:

In this matter of VPN versus remote control software, I've realized that (speed related) remote control software beats VPN. Is there any way to speed VPN response?. I am talking about using VPN with a 256Kbps ADSL.

Gracias

Don't confuse the two.

VPN is a means of making a secure network connection to a computer/network.

Once you establish that secure connection, possibly using VPN, you can then go about launching software such as remote control software like PcAnywhere, or VNC, or Remote Desktop/Terminal Services, or other database software.

VPN is a secure method of connecting...to do various things like run remote control software.

Compared say to opening up the ports on a firewall and hanging that remote control software host service out on the internet for hackers to try to grind into.

Example. If I wanted to have PcAnywhere or Remote Desktop run at the office, and just used a firewall...no VPN...I would have to open up ports 5631/5632 for PcAnywhere, or ports 3389 for remote desktop/terminal services. That would somewhat expose those ports.

A more secure method would be to run a VPN connection to the office.....then once that secure connection is established, I'm able to connect to any/all my resources.

[m4a2t0t]

go into network places and see if you can see the other computer. You can access the computer on the other end by typing \\IP ADDRESS OF REMOTE COMPUTER to see all shares on the PC. If you have windows xp you can enable remote desktop and then remote desktop into the remote pc and control it that way.

[Gort9k]

Hola:

What I meant was that when making a PcAnywhere connection between my home computer and my office, seems to go faster than VPN. Actually when I connect using PcAnywhere I can, actually, work. Yes, it's a bit slower than the real thing, but, anyway, and given that there is nobody using bandwith, I feel confortable working remotely. On the other hand: whe I make a VPN connection, I always give up trying. It is terribly slow. It takes ages to open a folder, and even sending and receiving files takes sol long that, in the end, I return to the PcAnywhere solution.
My question was about speed. Is is, VPN, always so slow?. Can I do anything to speed this kind of connection?
I've heard a lot about VPN connection, but, actually, I've never heard how fast can it work.
Of couse, I am talking about using a standard 256Kbps ADSL, not of working in high bandwith lines.

Anyway, all of you, have been very patient with me.

Thanks to you all

[YeOldeStonecat]

You're still not separating the two. The VPN connects you to the computer and/or the rest of the network...securely. Now...what you do from here...can do many different things. It seems you're just using the connection as a means of a network...and you're trying to browse shares, or transfer files, as if you were connected locally on the network. Yes...that can be slow, depending on several factors.

Many of us use the VPN to then launch a secure session of remote software though...such as Remote Desktop/Terminal, or VNC, or PcAnywhere, etc. That runs through the secure VPN tunnel...much more securely than having a direct connection, leaving those ports open. I don't do much as far as trying to use the VPN as a local network, yes, that could possibly be pokey...depending upon your setup.

You can gain access to the rest of the network easily..depending on your setup. Say you have a dozen computers to connect to using PcA or Remote Desktop....the VPN to the router works well.

What determins the VPN performance? Many things....
1) What is the VPN server? Is it a computer like Win2K Server? Or is it a hardware device, like a nice fast Sonicwall SOHO router, or Cisco?

2) What is the speed of the bandwidth that the VPN is on, most notably the upload speeds? Also the upload of your own connection.

Hola:

What I meant was that when making a PcAnywhere connection between my home computer and my office, seems to go faster than VPN. Actually when I connect using PcAnywhere I can, actually, work. Yes, it's a bit slower than the real thing, but, anyway, and given that there is nobody using bandwith, I feel confortable working remotely. On the other hand: whe I make a VPN connection, I always give up trying. It is terribly slow. It takes ages to open a folder, and even sending and receiving files takes sol long that, in the end, I return to the PcAnywhere solution.
My question was about speed. Is is, VPN, always so slow?. Can I do anything to speed this kind of connection?
I've heard a lot about VPN connection, but, actually, I've never heard how fast can it work.
Of couse, I am talking about using a standard 256Kbps ADSL, not of working in high bandwith lines.

Anyway, all of you, have been very patient with me.

Thanks to you all

[m4a2t0t]

I have VPN setup to 18 locations right now and everything runs fairly fast(slowest connection is 144K IDSL). Your VPN could be slow because the system has to decrypt all the data while doing other things, hardware VPN are faster because they are dedicated to the job.
PC anywhere and VPN are totally different things, VPN allows you to access resources on the remote network while PC anywhere allows you to remotly control the PC and access resources through it.
Why dont you use remote desktop???

[Gort9k]

Veamos:

It looks like I was mistaken about this VPN business.
I thought all you had to do was to establish the VPN connection, between a client (my machine at home) and a server the computer at the office. And from then on, you just worked as in the same network. So I could browse through different computers files, launch networked apps, and transfer files, as well as use the office printers. Just a network, only one of the computers was several kilometers away.
Of course I've never tried hardware VPN, just using software.
But I though that if using PcAnywhere did the job, a VPN could do it better, and faster. For example, I should not have to launch a remote control app, just log on to the office network, and work like being in place.
Our ADSL (at home, and at work) is a low one, 256/128 (32/16, theoretically, more in the 28/12 field)
Thanks, again

[cyberskye]

I don't want to compare the two directly, but as far as perceived performance (browsing fileshares via VPN, vs. file transfer via PCA) PCA may be faster as there is (last I checked) lower strength crypto vs even pptp.

One could be using symetric and the otehr asymetric keys - a factor that affects transfer speeds as well.

So it really is apples and oranges as although you can achieve similar results via the two (transfering files), the method of getting you there is different.

[YeOldeStonecat]

It's true...you can establish a VPN connection, and from then on, work as in the same network. You can browse shares, print remotely, transfer files, and in some cases...launch networked apps. However...due to the pipe being fairly slow, don't expect things to run like a ball of fire. You can launch Outlook and usually hit the Exchange server through the pipe..and do your e-mail. If you have a fairly fast connection, and a fairly lightweight database application...you can often get away with having it run through the pipe...granted it's not a ball of fire like you're on the 100 meg LAN, but it can be done.

However....since things can move like molasses through a VPN, it's often so slow you don't bother doing it. But.....with things like Terminal Services being built into the servers now, and with Remote Desktop Connection being built in XP....people more often now utilize VPN's to securely connect to "mothership"...then launch a remote control session and do their work using that. Remote Desktop through a VPN, or PcAnywhere through a VPN, is almost as fast as being right there on the local LAN! Then the application is running on the host computer...but only the vid image and keystrokes have to be shoved through the VPN pipe using the remote software...much less bandwidth requirements this way, and much peppier performance for the end user.

Veamos:
It looks like I was mistaken about this VPN business.
I thought all you had to do was to establish the VPN connection, between a client (my machine at home) and a server the computer at the office. And from then on, you just worked as in the same network. So I could browse through different computers files, launch networked apps, and transfer files, as well as use the office printers. Just a network, only one of the computers was several kilometers away.
Of course I've never tried hardware VPN, just using software.
But I though that if using PcAnywhere did the job, a VPN could do it better, and faster. For example, I should not have to launch a remote control app, just log on to the office network, and work like being in place.
Our ADSL (at home, and at work) is a low one, 256/128 (32/16, theoretically, more in the 28/12 field)
Thanks, again

[Gort9k]

Well:

I'm really sorry to bother you all. But making questions and getting answers is the way to learn. I think that, now, I get this VPN thing clearer. (don't count much on it, thick as a plank I can be).

Gracias de nuevo a todos.

[cyberskye]

de nada

There was nothing wrong with your questions