OK - I worked as a rep at Cisco but I've forgotten all that now...

...what I want to do is have a PC (my PC) at my warehouse accessing a database on a PC in my office. The warehouse PC sits on the warehouse operator's LAN, they don't have a VPN and they're a bit IT security paranoid.

My thoughts are to add a VPN-capable router to my office LAN (2 machines sharing a cable modem) - I'm thinking of the Linksys BEFVP41 and upgrade the warehouse machine to XP and configure IPSec.

Am I missing something here or is there a simpler/cheaper way of doing this?

Cheers

Lee.

 

I have no experience with the router that you are looking at, but I would suggest that if your going to use the Linksys then also use their VPN Client on the remote machine. The reason is that this is more likely to work than XP's IPSec config (which is hard work to set-up)

Jeff

 

Thanks Jeff. Linksys don't provide a client but do give step-by-step setup for 2000/XP. You're right, it looks complex.

Any other device recommendations? Cost is paramount!

Cheers

Lee.

 

Lee,

I've tested two cheap Linux boxes running Smoothwall. You don't need to know Linux to use or install it, so if you have cheap PC's spare that's an option worth considering.

SmoothWall installs in minutes (all from a single CD) and the VPN is configured from a browser page.

Does Web Proxy, NAT, etc. all in the one box; oh, and it's completely free.

I use it at home and it even connects to our corporate VPN.

Stefan

[Edited by ozzy - 11/21/2002 12:15:10 PM]

 

I've got a Draytek router which can act as a "VPN Server" as well as tinkering with Smoothwall.

If cost is the main issue, I would go with Smoothwall - it will run on 486s if you have some....

I bought a Compaq Deskpro for £25 (P166/64MB/1.6Gb HDD) and used a couple of PCI network cards I had lying about...

Thanks

Gavin

 

There is a SonicWALL Tele3 on Ebay.co.uk that would do the job....


Jeff