Vpn (virtual Private Network), What Is It?

[coalminer]

Can anybody explain to me what a VPN (Virtual Private Network) is?

Does a VPN allow you to access websites which are otherwise inaccessible?

Can I run multiple Operating Systems in a VPN?

Is my PC accessible to other persons when I run my programs in a VPN?

[Deksan]

Can anybody explain to me what a VPN (Virtual Private Network) is?

Does a VPN allow you to access websites which are otherwise inaccessible?

Can I run multiple Operating Systems in a VPN?

Is my PC accessible to other persons when I run my programs in a VPN?

A vpn is a Virtual private network : Quoting wikipedia (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/VPN)

A virtual private network (VPN) is a computer network in which some of the links between nodes are carried by open connections or virtual circuits in some larger networks (such as the Internet), as opposed to running across a single private network. The Link Layer protocols of the virtual network are said to be tunneled through the transport network. One common application is to secure communications through the public Internet, but a VPN does not need to have explicit security features such as authentication or content encryption. For example, VPNs can also be used to separate the traffic of different user communities over an underlying network with strong security features, or to provide access to a network via customized or private routing mechanisms.

This allows you to access remote network / computer's ressource that might not be available to you securely and reliably (depends on the link between you and the vpn server).

You can't really run multiple Operating system with a VPN but you can access multiple Operating system computer (see above).You dont run programs in a vpn, you are confusing Virtual Machine and VPN which are two different things.

[trogers]

Think of it as an insulated tunnel where you can whisper sweet nothings to your gf at the other end and she whispers back, while both of you are sitting at different ends of a crowded movie theatre.

[monty]

A VPN is simply an encrypted connection to another network, usually over the internet.

Just look at it this way. In your office you would plug into the office network with your LAN cable. You can then use all things the office network administrator allows you, such as accessing the internet, maybe printing on one of their network printers, accessing stuff on their file server etc.

Now assume you are somewhere else (home, abroad,...), and you want to access the stuff in the office. You can hardly roll out a network cable to the office! So you create a virtual network cable which uses the internet. When your VPN is established, it is for all purposes the same as you would sit in your office connected with your LAN cable to their network (albeit slower, limited to the speed of the internet at both sides)...

So you can use the internet as if you were sitting in your office, to the outside world it will look like you are in your office, while in real life you might be sitting at the other side of the world! Which would answer one of your questions...

So it has nothing to do with multiple operating systems, it's just a virtual network cable!

Now security wise you have to be careful if you connect to an office where you do not know anybody. You can rent such "offices" and use their internet connection. But obviously they would be able to see what you are doing on the internet, as you are using their internet connection!

[Veazer]

There's a free VPN service called "HotspotShield" from a company called AnchorFree that allows you to browse from a US location. Awhile back i would use it to connect to sites that only allow US users, but many have caught on and don't allow users from the HotspotShield IP range.

It's ad based, and tries to install loads of crap during setup. Uncheck everything offered during the installation if you decide to try it. Theres a script for Firefox to remove the ads if you're interest.

[coalminer]

A VPN is simply an encrypted connection to another network, usually over the internet.

Just look at it this way. In your office you would plug into the office network with your LAN cable. You can then use all things the office network administrator allows you, such as accessing the internet, maybe printing on one of their network printers, accessing stuff on their file server etc.

Now assume you are somewhere else (home, abroad,...), and you want to access the stuff in the office. You can hardly roll out a network cable to the office! So you create a virtual network cable which uses the internet. When your VPN is established, it is for all purposes the same as you would sit in your office connected with your LAN cable to their network (albeit slower, limited to the speed of the internet at both sides)...

So you can use the internet as if you were sitting in your office, to the outside world it will look like you are in your office, while in real life you might be sitting at the other side of the world! Which would answer one of your questions...

So it has nothing to do with multiple operating systems, it's just a virtual network cable!

Now security wise you have to be careful if you connect to an office where you do not know anybody. You can rent such "offices" and use their internet connection. But obviously they would be able to see what you are doing on the internet, as you are using their internet connection!

OK.

I get it now.

Something like FTP where I can create a virtual harddisk on my computer, but this harddisk can in reality be located anywhere.

Do you know if the "Virtual Offices" are in the setup of the VPN packadge from Microsoft?

I have a CD with Microsoft VPN.

How do I get the "Virtual Office" addresses?

[Crushdepth]

Not quite. You can think of it as creating your own LAN, except that you are linking computers on the internet instead of within your own house or office. To protect your privacy, the links between computers are encrypted.

Sounds like you might be interested in setting up Remote Desktop, which already comes with the professional/business versions of Windows (its in the accessories folder in the start menu). This is very cool - you can login to use your work computer from home etc and use it as if you were sitting before it (including the browser). This saves me from having to physically go into work on the weekend, so I love it. Just make sure you run it over your VPN connection (I set mine up so that it *only* works over the VPN interface).

Hamachi is a great VPN client to start with. It's free for home use and very simple. It works pretty much straight out of the box without complicated set up typical of other VPN software. It lets you set up multiple networks, so you can create one for work, one for friends or private etc. There's a couple of good podcasts about it at www.grc.com that are well worth a listen to if you want to set up Hamachi or some other VPNs:

* Hamachi rocks (16MB)

* Virtual Private Networks (VPN): Theory (13MB)

Edited June 29, 2009 by Crushdepth