27.3. Virtual Private Networking: All VersionsIf you're a frequent traveler who regularly connects to a distant home or office by dialing direct, you must be the toast of your long-distance phone company. Fortunately, there's a more economical solution. Virtual private networking (VPN) is a fancy way of saying, "Your remote computer can become part of your host network by using the Internet instead of a long-distance phone connection." It's a lot like the direct-dialing feature described aboveexcept this time, you don't pay any long-distance bills, your host PC doesn't require its own phone line, and (if the computers on both ends have fast connections) you're not limited to the sluglike speeds of dial-up modems. With a VPN connection, both the host and the remote computers connect to the Internet the usual way: WiFi, DSL, cable modem, or good old dial-up. If you travel with a laptop, that's a good argument for signing up with a cellular data plan (see "Cellular Wireless" in Chapter 9) or using a national or international dial-up ISP that has local access numbers wherever you plan to be. Note: To make VPN work, both computers require Internet connections; that much is obvious.The one at home (or at the office) is probably all set. You should, however, put some thought into getting the laptop online. You'll have to find wireless hot spots, for example, or, if you do this a lot, you can sign up for a cellular modem plan (page 322) or even a dial-up account. Not only can VPN save the frequent traveler quite a bit of money in phone calls, but it's also extremely secure. When you connect using VPN, the information traveling between the two connected computers is encoded (encrypted) using a technology called tunneling . Your connection is like a reinforced steel pipe wending its way through the Internet to connect the two computers. To create a VPN connection, the host computer has two important requirements. If you're VPNing into a corporation or school, it's probably all set already. Otherwise:
On the other hand, the remote computeryour laptopdoesn't have any such requirements. It just needs an Internet connection. Note: Several of the remote-connection methods described in this chapter require that your home-base PC have a fixed, public IP address. (An IP address is a unique number that identifies a particular computer on the Internet. It's made up of four numbers separated by periods.)If you're not immediately nodding in understanding, murmuring, "Aaaaah, right," then download the bonus document available on this book's "Missing CD" at www.missingmanuals.com. The free PDF supplement you'll find there is called "Getting a Fixed, Public IP Address." 27.3.1. Setting Up the Host MachineTo set up the host PC for the VPN connection, do exactly as you would for direct-dial connections (page 754)but in step 5, choose "Through the Internet" instead of "Through a dial-up modem." When the wizard finishes its work, the host machine is ready for action. Instead of setting up the modem to answer incoming calls, Vista now listens for incoming VPN connection requests from the Internet. 27.3.2. Making the ConnectionNow move to the laptop, or whatever machine you'll be using when you're away from the main office. These steps, too, should seem familiarthey start out just like those that began on page 755. But in step 4, instead of clicking "Dial directly," you should choose "Use my Internet connection (VPN)." Now you arrive at screen that says, "Type the Internet address to connect to." Proceed like this:
When you make the VPN connection, you've once again joined your home or office network. Exactly as with the direct-dial connection described earlier, you should feel free to transfer files, make printouts, and so on. Unless both computers are using high-speed Internet connections, avoid actually running programs on the distant PC. When you want to disconnect, click the connection icon in your notification area, choose Connect or Disconnect from the box that pops up, and then click Disconnect in the dialog box that appears. (You can also disconnect using the Network and Sharing Center.) |