Good free VPN software

[L3nny]

Originally Posted by -Ralph-

Forget VNC or VPN, see www.logmein.com, that's what you need.

Cheers

Now all I need is a Ford Truck

[mr.anderson]

Do you really need a console connection?

If you need to share files easily, try dropbox.com.

[timwilky]

You appear to have a number of requirements remote control and remote file access.

A VPN is an encrypted tunnel with a degree of authentication to establish that tunnel. Thereafter you then have the use of that tunnel for your remote control and file access.

Firstly do you actually need a VPN. What are you doing that needs that level of encryption?

I assume you have been very lazy and simply stuck your home computer directly on the internet and are relying on onboard software to manage the security.

If you value your systems/data etc. Pull it off now and buy a firewall. I recommend netgear firewalls mainly because they support AES256 encryption as well as 3des and you can use multiple authentication schemes including a proper PKI system using X509 certificates for authentication.

However I guess you are looking for road warrior access. No problem the netgears support that config on their client


If you don't use a pucker firewall, do you need encryption. Simply rely on windows authentication, open your windows firewall to permit file access to the big wide world and install VNC or even RDP etc for remote control.

[L3nny]

Originally Posted by timwilky

You appear to have a number of requirements remote control and remote file access.

A VPN is an encrypted tunnel with a degree of authentication to establish that tunnel. Thereafter you then have the use of that tunnel for your remote control and file access.

Firstly do you actually need a VPN. What are you doing that needs that level of encryption?

I assume you have been very lazy and simply stuck your home computer directly on the internet and are relying on onboard software to manage the security.

If you value your systems/data etc. Pull it off now and buy a firewall. I recommend netgear firewalls mainly because they support AES256 encryption as well as 3des and you can use multiple authentication schemes including a proper PKI system using X509 certificates for authentication.

However I guess you are looking for road warrior access. No problem the netgears support that config on their client


If you don't use a pucker firewall, do you need encryption. Simply rely on windows authentication, open your windows firewall to permit file access to the big wide world and install VNC or even RDP etc for remote control.

Don't understand all of that, sorry. But I will try and answer best I can.

What I am trying to achieve is be able to log onto my home PC using remote desktop and access files.

At the moment I use Orb to access video and music etc but it's a bit clunky and want to stream media more directly.

I use the Windows software firewall and the firewall on the router which is netgear provided by sky. I am sure I am open to some form of attack but meh.

Not sure what a road warrior is other than Mad Max.

What, is wrong with the built-in Remote Desktop?

I use it to carry out admin on family members computers, and never have an issue with it. I simply have dyndns.org account set up with the router updating the account when the ip address is changed. It is rare that I've found a necessity for a console connection.

[L3nny]

Originally Posted by boot

What, is wrong with the built-in Remote Desktop?

I use it to carry out admin on family members computers, and never have an issue with it. I simply have dyndns.org account set up with the router updating the account when the ip address is changed. It is rare that I've found a necessity for a console connection.

I didn't think you culd connect using remote desktop over the internet.

Sure can. It's easy, free and reliable, you can reboot the machine remotely and be able to reconnect too. You can create shortcuts for the type of settings you require, such as the level of detail you want to pull through on the screen, such as backgrounds, colour depth etc.

If you wish, I can set up a temporary dyndns address and account on my xp partition on the mac, so you can test it out. Give me a shout and we can sort a time out.

[L3nny]

I use remote desktop it over the network at home and use it at work so I think I know how to use it.

I'll give you a shout if I need any more help though. Cheers

No worries .

Remote desktop opening port 3389 on your firewall, so that you can hit it from anywhere on the web, along with the rest of the world. Then sending your username and password over the internet to it with no encryption, as is the default for remote desktop?

Give me your IP address and leave your internet banking details somewhere obvious on your PC too please?

If your going to use remote desktop, which I don't recommend since I've already given you the best solution for what you need to achieve, make sure you turn on 128bit encryption for client connections, change the port number to something other than 3389, and lock down which user accounts can connect.