Is the use of VPN dialer as a way to connect to the Internet considered "unprofessional"?

[Trente]

Hello all,

Where I live most ISPs use a method of connecting their Cable customers to the Internet via a VPN dialer.

This is the way it works: when the Cable modem is powered-up it sends its MAC address and receives an "Intranet IP" in return from the cable company DHCP, making the PC a part of a big LAN. As a result, the user is able to gain access to the VPN servers of major ISP's that are also a part of the same LAN. Using a VPN dialer, the user sends his username and password to the server and after the authntication process is complete, the dialer receives an "Internet IP" from his ISP's IP pool available for their DHCP, what makes it a part of the world-wide-web...

I, myself, get an IP from the ISP itself automatically; but in the future it might not be so...

What do you think of such a method?

Is it "wrong"?

Is it unacceptable where you live?


TIA!

 

[AFB]

Sounds like a cross between a cable network and a DSL network. "unprofessional" ? No, but a little over done.

<--likes plain jane DHCP. (Good 'ol Verizon)

 

[Garion]

Actually, it's a *terrible* idea.

- You only get one active VPN connection per computer, so you couldn't run a corporate VPN across it.
- It requires a lot more complexity on the client PC's and more things to troubleshoot
- Not all devices that need to access the Internet are capable of running VPN clients
- Usually, when you are connected to a VPN, your local network access goes away, making it difficult to share files locally.

In general, it's a bad, bad way to run an ISP and guaranteed to tick off a lof of customers.

- G

 

[Trente]

Yeah I know, many people run into major trouble with this method. many complain about disconenctions.
Using a router is also problematic since it needs to support VPN passthrough (LT2P/PPTP)...

Well, at least me, my friends and family, all get an IP directly from the ISP as it should be!

 

[AKA]

I've never seen any cable provider do this?

What cable isp's do this?

 

[FoBoT]

what country are we talking about?

 

[Trente]

No where in the US.