Hardware firewall rather than VPN?

[mmesford]

I'm struggling with setting up a VPN connection to a remote PLC. There are five of us, each with one or two different devices, who need to access the PLC. We had a VPN router but it seems to have stopped working. Apple's discontinuation of PPTP support has complicated its replacement. I'm wondering if we even need VPN. Couldn't we set up a hardware firewall that would only accept traffic from a list of users?

Mike

 

[Genx87]

Traffic would not be encrypted if you use layer 3\4 filtering. If you are passing company designs to this PLC it could open you up to corporate espionage.
You will want to have a VPN either as a client on the local desktops\devices or site to site between two routers\firewalls.

 

[mv2devnull]

Firewall and VPN are entirely different things.

Firewall is like the bouncer at Club's front door. She may let some people in and out, but blocks the rest. VPN is an armored limousine service that transfers VIP guests between their home and the Club without letting the paparazzi to see who is in the car. The bouncer has to let the car in and may recheck the passengers too.

Consumer "routers" usually offer several features in one. Cheap.
Separately marketed "firewall" devices tend to list "VPN" as one of their prominent secondary features.

 

[mmesford]

Firewall and VPN are entirely different things.

Firewall is like the bouncer at Club's front door. She may let some people in and out, but blocks the rest. VPN is an armored limousine service that transfers VIP guests between their home and the Club without letting the paparazzi to see who is in the car. The bouncer has to let the car in and may recheck the passengers too.

Consumer "routers" usually offer several features in one. Cheap.
Separately marketed "firewall" devices tend to list "VPN" as one of their prominent secondary features.

Well, the band at this club isn't very good and no one's standing in line to get in. There's nothing to steal but water pressure and chlorine readings. If I have a bouncer that lets my operators in, no matter which phone they have or which OS their home computer uses, I don't need the limo. Lately, the limo doesn't seem willing to pick up users in the Apple hood so it's a pain.

 

[JackMDS]

Couldn't we set up a hardware firewall that would only accept traffic from a list of users?
Mike

Yes you can, but that has nothing to do with VPN.

Needing VPN or, Not is an independent factor that needs to be considered.

If the service that you connect operates with VPN, then you need a VPN capacity.

 

[sdifox]

Is there a reason you can't go openvpn?

 

[mxnerd]

Better to list the brand & model of the devices (PLC/router) you have, and whether have a computer that's constantly on.

It's easier for people to provide help.

 

[rflcptr]

How has Apple's discontinuation of PPTP support complicated its replacement?

Set up L2TP or IPSEC and quit using PPTP.

If you were able to communicate to the PLC on remote networks previously, you won't need to change a thing on the unit.