Confusion over consumer routers and VPN.

[bupkus]

Lets say you're shopping for a router, in this case a wireless router. You just got broadband and you're excited to share that broadband with all the PCs in your house. You've decided on Netgear's MR314 or SMC's SMC7004AWBR. Maybe you even decide to wait for a new wireless router by SMC due out soon. The SMC7004WFW.
Everything is ontrack when you get a bug in your ear about putting in a security camera. You want to install a camera in the livingroom and another in the nursery to see what the baby sitter is up to or to see if the teens are throwing a party while you're away for the weekend? Maybe you can hook it up to log in from the office and see for yourself what's going on there in real time and not after the fact as with a video tape recorder.

Then your hear about VPN. Maybe that will help. Netgear calls it VPN(passthrough). SMC calls it VPN tunneling. Are they the same? Do I need a server or will these routers do that or are they just saying they'll allow a connection to go through to a VPN server?

It's gonna be hard to get this set up but first I need to know more so I don't buy the wrong stuff.
The fact is, I'm gonna get a router soon for the expanded internet access but I don't want to lock myself out from that camera idea.

 

[JackMDS]

There is no one simple answer; you will have to do some reading:

Introduction to VPN.

Introduction to VPN.

VPN Labs.

Microsoft take on VPN:

Use Virtual Private Networks for Secure Internet Data Transfer.

Inexpensive SOHO Solution:

Symantec Firewall/VPN 100 Appliance.

 

[bupkus]

Symantec Firewall/VPN 100 Appliance
? Full VPN Gateway Endpoint with Accelerated IPsec Encryption
? High Speed 4-Port 10/100 Switch with Duplex (200Mb)
? Up to 10 Security Associations for Dynamic (IKE) and Manual Key tunnels
? Over 8MB Bi-Directional Throughput for Blazing Speed
? 3.6Mbps Throughput at 3DES IPsec Encryption!!!
? Access VPN Gateway through Domain Name (via Dynamic DNS or Static IP)
? Share Your Connection with up to 253 Computers
? Unlimited IPsec Tunnels Passing-Through (Patent Pending Nexland) in addition to Ipsec gateway.
? Stateful Firewall Protection
? 230k Serial Port that functions for Analog / ISDN Backup & Admin Configuration Console
? Full SNMPv1 Support for Monitoring & Logging
? Numerous Networking Configurations and Solid Reliability

Price: $499.99

"Full VPN Gateway Endpoint " and "$499.99" lend me to believe that the much cheaper SMC tunneling and Netgear passthrough units are not VPN appliances/servers. It would seem a VPN Appliance will not soon be in my clutches.

 

[Tallgeese]

<< "Full VPN Gateway Endpoint " and "$499.99" lend me to believe that the much cheaper SMC tunneling and Netgear passthrough units are not VPN appliances/servers. >>

You are CORRECT, sir!

 

[netsysadmin]

Just because you are buying a router that only allows VPN pass through you are not limiting yourself....I have a Linksys BEFSR41 running on my network with a Roadrunner internet connection...behind that router I have a web server, VPN server, terminal server and 2 streaming cameras all accesible via the internet....is that enough??....my router is not limiting me at all...you just have to learn all the features of it...have fun!!

 

[bupkus]

<< ...behind that router I have a web server, VPN server, terminal server and 2 streaming cameras all accesible via the internet.... >>


Alright. Do you think you can tell me something about your VPN server? Which OS did it require? Is it a stand alone server machine?
Uhh... what is a terminal server and which OS and software did you use?
About them streaming cameras. Are they the ones with their own IP address? Which cameras would you recommend after your experience with setting up these?


<< ....is that enough?? >>


Enough is never enough. There's always more cool stuff.

 

[bignick]

for the camera bit i would go and get some of those x10 cameras. then get yourself two tv cards that support composite video-in (rca plug). hit up ole' google for a search on webcam software that can support multiple cameras. coffeecup software makes a decent webcam package, not sure if it supports multiple cameras.

this assumes you want to use some version of windows for all of this.

you'd most likely want to use a separate computer for all of this (say pII, 128megs of ram, any size hard drive).

 

[netsysadmin]

Ok for my VPN server Im using Win2k Server...but you can use win2k Pro also...it can be standalone or in a domain...the only special thing u need is 2 NIC's...In my case Im using Terminal Services for remote admin capabilities...this gives me the ability to login and do remote administration just like PC Anywhere or VNC....and as far as the streaming cameras go I use two regular webcams for that with a little program that streams it...when you look at the cam its almost real-time like a normal video camera....it really depends on your connection to the internet...you can see that program here www.visiongs.de...there are a few other companies that have a similar product...but I felt this was a good program....just enough to get the job done!...and last but not least the web server...Im running IIS 5.0 on a win2k Server...works great..you just need to know how to secure it properly...if you need more info just post here...good luck!