Multi-State Family Networking? 71
Valley Redneck asks: "The last few members of my extended family just entered the 20th century and went to broadband. Now that we're all on-line with small home LANs in place, we'd like to start sharing stuff via a VPN. The only problem is I'm the only marginally tech savvy one in the bunch, and I'd rather not have to hop a plane to configure everyone's box. Any recommendations for a broadband router that supports VPN to use on the mother-ship network that will play nice with all versions of Windows XP SP 2 (Pro, Home and Media Center) and its VPN client?"
Do it in software (Score:5, Informative)
Re:Do it in software (Score:2)
Re:Do it in software (Score:1)
Re:Do it in software (Score:2)
Reference:
http://www.iana.org/assignments/ipv4-address-spac
Re:Do it in software (Score:1)
hamachi (Score:4, Informative)
Re:hamachi (Score:1)
Cool. But why? (Score:4, Informative)
I've heard good things about Hamachi, but I haven't used it myself. I have used OpenVPN, and I love it. It's pretty simple to set up, even using certificate-based authentication and encryption. You can have everyone download and install it themselves, then you can send them configuration files.
Before you do all this, though, there's an important question to ask: Is a VPN worth the additional risks? If all the machines are in a pseudo-local network over the VPN and someone gets a worm, you could all go down together. Unless you're planning to do something which actually requires pseudo-local network access, you might be better off to make whatever you're planning to do be web-based.
Re:Cool. But why? (Score:2)
Re:Cool. But why? (Score:2)
Re:Cool. But why? (Score:2)
Re:Cool. But why? (Score:2)
Re:Cool. But why? (Score:3, Informative)
Use.. (Score:2, Interesting)
Re:Use.. (Score:4, Informative)
We've been through this quite a few times here, but for the benefit of those who missed the great Sveasoft debates, here's a quick summary:
1. Linksys releases GPL code for WRT54G routers
2. People start modifying this code
3. Sveasoft forms a community around a particulat "distro"
4. Sveasoft starts charging
5. Sveasoft gets pissed that people are exercising their legal right to share the GPLed software for free
6. Sveasoft cuts back on source releases, bans anyone who even mentions the GPL on their forums
7. Sveasoft stops source releases entirely for "test" versions (a.k.a. current, release is the old outdated version)
8. DD-WRT project starts as fork of last Sveasoft source releases
9. Sveasoft threatens DD-WRT, calls it a ripoff of their product
10. DD-WRT developers and community collectively laugh, continue developing and releasing both binaries and source regularly
11. Sveasoft crawls back in to a hole
Basically, don't use Sveasoft, and definately don't pay for it. They are repeat GPL violators and do not in any way support the WRT community. Use HyperWRT for basic features, DD-WRT for a fully-featured mega-distro, and OpenWRT for a top-end complete custom build.
Personally, I run DD-WRT v23 SP1 VoIP edition, and it does an excellent job of both connecting my Xbox to XLink Kai and handling QoS for my IP phones, not to mention all the neat wireless tricks.
Citation, please. (Score:2)
Citation, please.
The Free Software Foundation doesn't seem to think they're violating GPL, and they're about as authoritative as one can get.
You can have whatever issues you like, but let's not going around crying "wolf" just because you don't like a model / person / business. GPL violation is a serious charge around here, with a VERY specific meaning, and unless you can back it up I think it would be appropriate if you were to retract that claim.
Re:Citation, please. (Score:2)
I've been banned from the Sveasoft forums, even with no posts at all, just for being a member at the DD-WRT forum, so I can't go do this myself, but if you're a member there just go ahead and ask for source, specifically mentionning their GPL obligations to provide it. See how fast the thread disappears and you get banned.
Re:Citation, please. (Score:2)
The source for the in-development version is not.
While you may not like this it is acceptable under the GPL.
As to being banned from the Sveasoft forums, I'm guessing you repeatedly, either ignorantly or maliciously, publicly made your charge. It's a serious one, and one apparently without merit. I'd toss you off also.
I'm not saying Sveasoft/James is a lovely person, but if you really had a case of GPL violation I think the Free Software Foundation would b
Re:Citation, please. (Score:2)
This is exactly the case if someone acquires a paid membership to their site. You get all the binaries you want, but no source. If you ask for source, you get brushed off or banned.
and yes, I have repeatedly stated this FACT in public, but that is not why I was banned. I operate two mirrors of TheIndividual's Sveasoft firmware repository, which is completely legal (remember, GPL....they
Re:Citation, please. (Score:2)
As to your behavior, if you keep accusing a GPL violation and you're wrong, and been corrected, then you are indeed a dick. Making the accusation wherever unsurprisingly leaves you unwelcome on your victim's forums.
I don't pretend a superior knowledge of the details of the GPL. However it is my understanding that distributing betas, even
Re:Citation, please. (Score:1)
Here is the exact wording of the FSF's reply, copied straight from the Sveasoft forums [sveasoft.com]:
Re:Citation, please. (Score:2)
The folks I've known as the FSF have been quite bright, quite aware folk,s so I expect if there truly is (now, today) an issue they'd be pursuing it. That they're not speaks far more to me then your asserting over & over that you're right/they're clueless.
Furthermore you've yet to make a case that the GPL requires distribution of code for limited
Re:Citation, please. (Score:2)
Re:Citation, please. (Score:1)
http://lwn.net/Articles/178550/ [lwn.net]
"For now, at least. History suggests that Sveasoft will
continue to push the boundaries of the GPL. Recent history
also suggests, however, that Sveasoft may become less
relevant in this area; by many accounts, the fully-free
alternatives - beyond OpenWRT itself - go beyond the
Sveasoft offerings in a number of ways."
Maybe they are not violators technically, but I'd be
very irritated if I was a customer of their product.
Linksys WRT54GL / Sveasoft / multiple site VPN (Score:2)
I've used Linksys WRT54GS models (now WRT54GL) reflashed with Sveasoft firmwares running PPTP between my home in Montreal & my home in Boston. They were stable for months on end, allowed me to see file shares, remotely control machines, indeed do everything as if it was a local network. Tech support to family members was trivial, the extra traffic overhead negligible, and using the traffic-shaping features I got better performance out of my broadband connections
openvpn? (Score:2, Informative)
not sure exactly if you want to go the hardware way,
and not sure if what I mention meets your criteria,
but if you can set up a single linux box as a router
some place, that box can run openvpn (server) while
each client can hook up to it with the openvpn client
software (windoze client too
trivial to set up:
http://www.openvpn.org/ [openvpn.org]
cheers,
j
Re:openvpn? (Score:3, Informative)
Re:openvpn? (Score:1)
That should be http://www.openvpn.net/.net [openvpn.net], not
oh crap!
apologies, and thanks for the correction!
dont know what the heck I was drinking...
Smoothwall, mayhaps? (Score:2, Informative)
I haven't used it in a while, but have you investigated Smoothwall linux [smoothwall.org]? It's a linux distribution converts old PCs into very network-capable routers. Not only that, but it's manageable through web and SSH (I believe).
One of the reasons it came to mind is that it supports VPN connections between routers (again, I believe; haven't worked with it in a while). If you've got some spare PCs lying around (usually a prerequisite to reading Slashdot), this might be a great way to get your family networked for fre
Re:Smoothwall, mayhaps? (Score:1)
Re:Smoothwall, mayhaps? (Score:2)
However, I also agree, IPCop is probably a better way to go.
Or M0n0wall (Score:2)
I use Monowall here at home, and it does a good job of managing the PPTP connections. Since you have a PPTP client built into the other Windows machines, just use something like DynDNS and point them to connecting to you.
I wrote a simple tutorial on getting PPTP running with Monowall [cornetdesign.com]. I run it on a small solid-state linux box, and it works just great.
VPN Routers (Score:3, Interesting)
I put a Linksys WRV54G at my parents home for just this sort of thing. Although it took a pretty good amount of tweaking to get everything right, it works well now. It provides NAT firewall service for their network, wireless access for their home, and VPN remote access for me (so I can VNC into their system to provide tech support).
If you have a bigger budget, a cheap sonicwall, netscreen, or Check Point gateway might offer better usability and more features. The Check Point Safe@Office 500W looks like a good candidate.
Re:VPN Routers (Score:2)
Re:VPN Routers (Score:2)
The Check Point devices also support Dynamic DNS.
Just entered the 20th century?? (Score:3, Funny)
I'm confused. Is this the 21st century, or are your kin time travelers?
Re:Just entered the 20th century?? (Score:2)
Re:Just entered the 20th century?? (Score:1)
What is the itch this scratches? (Score:3, Insightful)
Re:What is the itch this scratches? (Score:2)
Plus you can log to your account on some friend's FTP server from anywhere and nearly any k
A Linux distro possible ... Clarkconnect (Score:1, Informative)
Why VPN? (Score:1)
we'd like to start sharing stuff via a VPN. The only problem is I'm the only marginally tech savvy one in the bunch,
In other words, you decided to share stuff via a VPN. I haveto ask what are you trying to share that can't be shared using simpilar approach (e.g. email)?
Froget VPN - Go Web (Score:5, Insightful)
Though, no matter what you will do, I can garentee you "support-headaches", I know from experience
Linksys rv042 routers (Score:1, Informative)
Snapgear (Score:2)
The cheapest solution, with this or any other VPN server, is to simply setup your system to act as a hub and then set everyone else's computers to connect to it with PPTP. Linking together entire networks, while cool, is probably overkill.
Ubuntu server (Score:1)
OT - Re:Ubuntu server (Score:2)
Try the FireFTP extension for Firefox.
Re:OT - Re:Ubuntu server (Score:2)
Re:Ubuntu server (Score:1)
PIX 501 (Score:1)
Cisco gear is very stable and can easily be setup to do a fully meshed site-to-site vpn as what you are looking for.
The vpn client is solid and works very good on all versions of windows.
The drawback is the price, starting at ~$300 new, but you can probably find them cheaper elsewhere (Read: eBay)
The cisco box can me managed via ssl and ssh remotely, it can be managed with telnet too, but doing that over the internet would not be a very secure solution. Telnet is EVI
OpenVPN (Score:3, Informative)
Its main downside is that it's designed server-client with you being the server, so you become the single point of failure, as well as having to act as proxy for all network traffic -- AFAIK hamachi only uses the central server to start connections, and runs p2p from then on.
Private P2P Network (Score:1)
What about OpenWRT? (Score:2)
egroupware (Score:1)
www.logmein.com (Score:1)
I just installed it on my families computers, so when they need tech support, I can have them open logmein, and I can just fix their computers remotely instead of talking them through its
Clarkconnect (Score:2)
Don't complicate things, just set this up on your end, enable the road warrior VPN, and pass out accounts to family memebers with instructions for setting up the XP PPTP client.
Check out SSL-Explorer (GPL) (Score:1)
All they'll need is an SSL capable browser. You can set up all the accounts and Tunnels for them.
Thanks (Score:1)
BTW, I know connecting up all the LANs is a bit over the top, but really, if I can pull this off, how cool would that be? It's good for at least a semi-Ubergeek badge or something...
Hardware or Software VPNs (Score:1)
Linksys makes a very nice firewall/router [linksys.com] that allows 2 simultanious VPNs. If there are more than 3 sites you could go for a Smoothwall [smoothwall.org] server using an old PC and 2 nics.
VPN is up and running (Score:1)