help with vpn connections

[lockmac]

Hi guys... i just need a bit of help understanding what a VPN connection is.

I go to Monash University and I installed a VPN Cisco client that I am supposedly meant to connect to each time I am at university. What exactly does this mean when I connect to it at home? Does it mean that everything I vew on the internet is going through them or what (the proxy server whilst at home is also set to them).

Also.. I have a router that supports VPN connections.. what exactly can I set this up to do? Does this mean that I can be away from home and make a connection to my home network and access the other computers on my home network?

Any help greatly appreciated

 

[Tarrant64]

My understanding of VPN was it is a virtual private network. If you are outside of your home, and you have VPN setup at home, you can login through your VPN router and access a network just as if you were at home.

At my work we use SonicWall(VPN) to access servers, emails, etc. when out of the office.

 

[Simeon Naranjit]

Since you have your school's VPN client installed, when you login via that connection from anywhere in the world, you have an encrypted connection to the school. This means you will login using your username and password. You will have access to the resources as if you are in the computer lab, i.e. shared drives, intranet, etc...

You hit the nail on the head about your own router that supports VPN connections. Make sure yours is a VPN router and not just a VPN endpoint router. The endpoint router allows you to connect to VPN servers through it (outgoing), but won't allow you to connect into it (outside into home).