Local Area Network | Virtual Private Network Resource

Software Versus Hardware VPN

December 17, 2010 by admin Leave a Comment

For the user, there is little difference between a software VPN, or virtual private network, and a hardware VPN. Still some situations work better for one system or the other.

A hardware VPN is used most often with remote office situations. The technical support staff will set up an internet router, and the router settings essentially capture all traffic and route it to the internal network for the main office.

The user simply turns on the computer. He or she never knows that any re-routing of traffic is happening. Everything that is done on computers with hardware VPNs is done on the network. This type of system works best when a computer will be used for no other purpose because it doesn’t require anything of the user. There are no passwords to remember, and only the technical support staff needs to make any updates.

Another option is to use software VPN. This system is a bit more cumbersome but works for client-based businesses. The person in charge of computer software will download a program to the desired computers. When the user opens the software, he or she will need to enter a username and password and then will be patched into the private network.

If this software program is not running, the computer will operate on its own LAN, or local area network. For places where clients need to interact with multiple businesses, a software-based system is best. Most personal VPNs also are software based because they make more sense for personal use and are easier to understand and maintain.

The VPN industry is changing rapidly as technology changes. Mobile browsers and data-enabled phones are creating new challenges. Software like File Zilla and openoffice is becoming more readily available and with greater features. Using a VPN now is easier than ever, regardless of which system you choose.

Filed Under: Computer, Internet Tagged With: Local area network, Networks, Security, Virtual private network

Is a Local Area Network (LAN) as safe as you think?

December 10, 2010 by admin Leave a Comment

: Image via Wikipedia

It’s one of the most asked questions when it comes to transporting data, especially through the internet. It’s not really that expensive to construct a LAN, but connecting to another LAN, in a safe and private manner is time consuming and expensive. So, how can a individual, business, or corporation, create these connections to another LAN without leasing (public) internet lines?

Bridges are built to connect LAN’s to each other. It is like using a “leased” line, but with much more security and is certainly more dependable and reliable. Now, if two businesses need to connect over a large distance, the cost could be too great to generate this length of secured line.

But let’s discuss the value of using a VPN with-in a smaller geographical network connection. This VPN is a secure, dependable, fast, and able to expand as your business grows. Each remote office or location is able to send or receive data back and forth and know that it’s a safe path. The name for the growth is ”Scalability”. If a VPN is properly configured, some of the technology and terms recognized would be: Encryption, Firewall, AAA Server, and IP Sec. Let’s talk about each one for a brief moment.

“Encryption”is where all of the data sent from one computer to another or vice versa, is encoded into a manner that is only readable by the other computer.

“Firewall” is your safeguard barrier or a wall between your private network and the Internet. They can be configured to restrict ports, what types of data are allowed to pass through the Firewall.

“AAA Server”stands for Authentication, Authorization, and Accounting. Basically, the AAA Server checks who you are, what you’re allowed to do, and what you actually can do. This is perfect for auditing the use of the PC on the network and provides a greater secure entry into the VPN.

The IP Sec is the Internet Protocol Security gives an enhanced level of security to provide a better encrypted algorithm and more detailed authentication.

VPN’s are a smart, safe, and more secure way of connecting people, PC’s, and businesses together.

Filed Under: Local Networks, Networks Tagged With: Firewalls, Internet Protocol, Local area network, Personal computer, Products, RADIUS, Security, Virtual private network

What is a VPN, are there different types and what is each type of VPN?

December 8, 2010 by admin Leave a Comment

: Image by Nationaal Archief via Flickr

A VPN is a”Virtual Private Network”. It is a user to Local Area Connection (LAN) connecting a company (employee) for example to network and then to the internet.

The most commonly used type of VPN is (1) Remote-Access which is a dial-up network. This is most often used by a business connecting many of its employees to the network. Now, if a business is fairly large, they may elect to set up through an Enterprise Service Provider (ESP) which will allow remote users to connect to the network thru loaded software on each PC.

The next type of VPN is a Site To Site VPN. With this type of Virtual Private Network, equipment that is specifically dedicated to a business with a pretty strong encryption is implemented so remote sites can say, over the internet, can connect to each other’s PC. Two different Site To Site VPN’s exist. The first is a “Intranet”based network with is used when a business has as little as one remote location or numerous remote locations where they can join into a single Private Network. This type also allows for a “Local Area Network” (LAN) to connect to another LAN. The second option of a Site To Site network is the “Extranet” based network. Say that you’re business goes into a partnership with another company or is bought out by a larger company; Your business needs to share important information or data to the other business in a speedy and secure manner. This is where an Extranet will work for you. A VPN is created to connect various Local Area Networks together with-in an environment shared by the various LAN’s.

One advantage of a VPN is that your information or date can be encrypted or secure so that only those on your network can see or have access. Otherwise, pushing it through the internet without this layer of security, would not only be dangerous but most likely hazardous to your business.

Filed Under: Networks, Private Networks Tagged With: Data, Encryption, IPsec, Local area network, Networks, Remote access, Security, Virtual private network

What is a VPN?

December 3, 2010 by admin Leave a Comment

: Image via Wikipedia

A Virtual Private Network uses the internet, a public network, to connect people together using the internet. Computer users most likely connect to a remote site instead of using a leased internet line, but people who use a virtual connect through the internet via a route from a company’s network. This is done by using a virtual connection instead of a dedicated connection to the internet.

This type of internet usage, like desktop sharing, is how distant computer users can work together. Now if you have a Virtual Private Network that is designed fairly well, you or your business can experience greater productivity, security, telecommuter support let alone lower the time and cost of commuting to a work place.

Using a VPN, the features should include: Network management, Policy management, Reliability, and of course Security.
If you break down a VPN, the first of two is a “remote access”or also named a virtual private dial up network. This is for a user to LAN (Local Access Network). This means it’s a connection used by a company’s employees who connect to the private network from different locations remotely.

The second option of using a VPN, is a Enterprise Service Provider (ESP). With an ESP, a Network Access Server is created which would provide users in remote locations, software for their computers to dial in as telecommuters through a toll-free number and connect to the Network Access Server and use the VPN software to access the company network.

Here’s an idea of how a company might need a VPN for remote access of the internet: Say you work for a fairly good size corporate company and there are hundreds of employees in different locations. Using a remote access virtual private network gives secure, connections which can be also encrypted between the private network and the different remote users through a service provider that most likely would or could be a third party provider.

Filed Under: Networks, Private Networks Tagged With: Access Providers, FAQs Help and Tutorials, Local area network, Network Access Server, Networking, Remote access, Security, Virtual private network

Virtual Private Networks at Enjoy Safe Browsing

October 6, 2010 by admin Leave a Comment

: Image by Getty Images via @daylife

The internet is a new world. You can find anything from the internet but sometimes using the internet is not at all secure. In order to use the internet with high security, we have to use VPN services. Virtual Private Networks are used in large organizations in order to meet the requirement of safe and reliable internet facilities.

A VPN service connects two or more computers via primary local network. It summarizes all the required data and then stores it at a private place. It uses the internet networks to provide direct access to the public. With the help of VPN services, you can enjoy unlimited access over the internet. The popularity of this service is increasing day by day as it helps in unlocking those websites which are blocked on the internet.

The service of a virtual private network is growing around the world and it provides unlimited and safe access to the internet. It is also in demand because of its additional benefits such as securing valuable information and offering the organization with high security. No one can track you while using any site on the internet. Many countries have a high security and that is why they don’t allow all users to access information free of cost. This could be a major problem for some organizations because they have to pay to use those services. Virtual private network will also allow you to maintain your anonymity.

Simple and pure virtual private network services are compatible with most versions of Windows or Mac books. There is no problem in installation of this service. Many large organizations launched their own VPNs to cater to the needs of their employees who are located at different offices. Virtual private networking also allows cracking VOIPs by providing different IP addresses. It will allow you to access any kind of internet restrictions and VOIP. Virtual private network services will facilitate its use to browse the unrestricted areas on the internet by keeping their anonymity and security. Thus, all these features can be attributed to virtual private networks and can be put to efficient use.

Filed Under: Networks, Private Networks Tagged With: FAQs Help and Tutorials, IP address, Local area network, Networking, Security, Services, Virtual private network, Voice over Internet Protocol

Virtual Private Network

October 6, 2010 by admin Leave a Comment

: Image by Rev. Xanatos Satanicos Bombasticos (ClintJCL) via Flickr

What is a Virtual Private Network (VPN)? First off, it is “virtual”, but not in the sense that it represents something that is actually not there (ie. virtual reality gaming experiences). It is virtual in the sense that this network brings all of the structure and capabilities of a larger and more complicated network to an individual that is not located in the same space as the network’s central facility. In other words, the virtual network brings everything right to you without you actually being there. An example of this would be a head office that is connected to various regional offices and remote users by a telecommunications system (something like the internet or your telephone lines). It is “private” in the sense that this VPN connects computers, servers and mainframes and their shared technology with secure access to a level of an organization’s network. The VPN’s purpose is to avoid the overwhelming costs associated with a system that is made up of lines of communication that are owned by another organization. By operating this way, the VPN provides secure network usage without any of the high costs of setting up hard-line or wireless structures. By using a system such as this, all the remote users or regional offices have direct and secure communications with the central facility and can use all of the accompanying software, connections and hardware, but are maintaining their remote status. Therefore the connectivity is assured and secure, while at the same time the company or organization does not have to spend lots of money hard wiring a system for networking and sharing information, but has all the benefits of such a system.

The VPN did not exist until the late 1990′s. This was because they were not “needed” yet. Most companies and organizations were perfectly content with their hardwired and local networks. Once the industry realized that their regional offices and remote units could “have it all” and not be located at the central office, VPN soared in usage and popularity. Virtual Private Networks are are still very popular today.

Filed Under: Networks, Private Networks Tagged With: FAQs Help and Tutorials, Local area network, Networking, Remote access, Security, Telecommunication, Virtual private network, Virtual reality

Step by Step Procedure of a VPN Connection Set Up in Windows XP

September 18, 2010 by admin Leave a Comment

: Image by Kojach via Flickr

In order to set up a VPN connection in Windows XP, some certain steps must be
followed. By installing a VPN connection in the operating system users can connect to a remote access server of a virtual private network. The operating systems of Microsoft use LT2P and PPTP network protocols for VPN.

Step by Step procedure for VPN set up:

- The computer using Windows XP operating system must be turned on. After that the user should go to the Windows Control Panel from the start menu.
-In the control panel there is an icon named Network connection. The user has to open it. It will show a list of existing LAN and dial-up connections.
- On the left hand side there is an option titled “create a new connection” which must be chosen and a New Connection Wizard will be shown on the screen.
- To begin the wizard, the user has to click Next and then choose the”connect to the network at my workplace” option from the visible list and click next.
-On the next page, “Virtual Private Network connection” from the existing list must be chosen and the user should click next to go to the next stage of the installation.
- On this page the name of the VPN connection should be entered in the “Company Name” field.
-On the next page,”Public Network”option should be chosen. If the user wants to get connected to the VPN at the windows start up, then “Automatically dial this initial connection” option, which is the default option, must be chosen. If not, then “Do not dial the initial connection” must be chosen. The second option requires establishing a public internet connection first and then it will be connected to the VPN.
-The user should enter the IP address or the name of the VPN remote access server and click next. This information will be provided by the company’s network administrator.
-If the user wants to confine the connection then should choose”My use only option” and click the finish button to complete the wizard.

Filed Under: Networks, Private Networks, Software Tagged With: IP address, Local area network, Microsoft, Operating system, Point-to-Point Tunneling Protocol, Security, Virtual private network, Windows XP

Virtual Private Network-How it works

September 11, 2010 by admin Leave a Comment

: Image via Wikipedia

In this era of globalization, companies are now introducing world wide services. They not only deal with local and regional services, but with international services. What these companies need, in order to render their services properly, is a way to maintain reliable, fast, and secure communication among their offices no matter where it is located.

A solution to this is WAN or wide area network by which a company is able to expand its private network beyond its immediate geographical region by using leased lines such as ISDN (integrated digital network) or OC3 (optical carrier-3). The problem of WAN is its cost. WAN is quite expensive and the cost usually increases with the increasing distance among the offices. As an alternative to WAN, companies are now using a recent technology called VPN, or virtual private network. VPN is basically a private network which exploits internet or another public network instead of the leased lines. By using a virtual connection, VPN connects the distant employee to the company’s private network. By using virtual private network colleagues around the world can work together.

There are some certain features including security, scalability, reliability, network management, and policy management which are needed to be well-designed in a VPN. Mainly, there are two types of virtual private networks. One is virtual private dial-up network, which is also called remote access. It is a user-to-LAN connection used by a company to connect the remote employees to the company’s private network. The companies who need a larger network use ESP, or enterprise service provider. ESP provides the distant clients with desktop user software for their computers and builds up network access servers, or NAS. Suppose a company has hundreds of sales people around the world who need to communicate with the company’s private network for sales purpose, they can use ESP for remote access. Another type of VPN is site-to-site VPN, which can be of two types: Internet-based & External-based. Virtual private networks give the opportunity of encrypted and secure connections between the distant users and the company’s private network by means of a third-party service provider.

Filed Under: Networks, Private Networks Tagged With: Company, Local area network, Networking, Remote access, Security, Services, Virtual private network, Wide area network

How to Decide the Best Virtual Private Network that Works for You?

September 6, 2010 by admin Leave a Comment

: Image via Wikipedia

Along with many other services, you can ask for virtual private network services from your internet service provider. A VPN service allows you to work with high security on any TCP/IP network such as the internet. By using local area networks, along with client server arrangement or peer-to-peer architecture, you can avail the service of a VPN.

If you have a large organization, you should use a VPN or virtual private network service. You can either go for your own virtual private network or can hire the services from any local internet or networking service provider. If you are hiring services from any outside source, then you must need to focus on some basic points before choosing your service.

Some of the important points to look at are security and reliability. Along with these two major points, you should also consider speed and other value added services.

Security is a major point you should focus on. If there are no proper measures for security then there is no use of using this virtual private network service. You can compare the services to other providers and then make a suitable decision according to the information you collected. If your business is very sensitive to privacy then you must need high security. In this situation, service providers should focus only on security rather than anything else.

The next important point is reliability. Your network should be secure and reliable. You should be provided with a trustful network. It should use a authenticated mechanism for searching the information or while transmitting the data. Reliability is also important from the view point of the organization. This should be unique and unanimous data within the organization.

Along with these two major areas, one should also look for other services like speed and functionality. This is because both of these areas attribute and play a very important role. The account holder of a virtual private network is paying money for the best services and he should get them in return for their valuable money. Virtual private network services offer consumers security while surfing the internet.

Filed Under: Networks, Private Networks Tagged With: Consultants, Data, FAQs Help and Tutorials, Internet service provider, Local area network, Microsoft, Security, Virtual private network