Upgrading and Repairing Networks (5th Edition)

SOME OF THE MAIN TOPICS IN THIS CHAPTER ARE

What Is a VPN? 894

Protocols, Protocols, and More Protocols! 895

IPSec Protocols 895

The Point-to-Point Tunneling Protocol (PPTP) 899

Layer Two Tunneling Protocol (L2TP) 900

Creating a VPN Connection with Windows XP Professional 901

Selecting a Router with VPN Support 904

Security is a big issue both in the corporate network and on the Internet at large. As has been discussed in previous chapters, the basic TCP/IP protocols weren't particularly designed with security in mind. However, over the years many new developments have built on the current TCP/IP base that provide for more secure connections over wide area networks (WANs), such as the Internet. This chapter looks at Virtual Private Networks (VPNs) and the methods they employ to create a private tunnel through a WAN so that you can communicate securely with another computer or network.