Looking for technical help re. VPNs

[robkelk]

The family is thinking of setting up a Virtual Private Network. Our understanding of VPNs is that they require static IP addresses, which not all of us have...
is this true? If not, what do we need to be able to implement a VPN that allows a mix of static and dynamic IP addresses?
--
Rob Kelk
"Governments have no right to question the loyalty of those who oppose
them. Adversaries remain citizens of the same state, common subjects of
the same sovereign, servants of the same law."

- Michael Ignatieff, addressing Stanford University in 2012

[Wiregeek]

a VPN, at it's most simplest, requires a Master and a mess of Clients.

we use a microsoft VPN at work, no static IPs required, although the fact that the VPN server is static makes it a LOT easier for the clients to connect and
authenticate.

Where are your family members?

f'rex, my 'Family' members would be

Me: 4mb/512k cable modem, dynamic IP

Dad: 512k/512k DSL, dynamic IP

Val: 6mb/1mb cable modem, dynamic IP

Ken: 3mb/768k DSL, dynamic IP

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Virtual_private_network

this may help as well.
"No can brain today. Want cheezeburger."
From NGE: Nobody Dies, by Gregg Landsman
http://www.fanfiction.net/s/5579457/1/NGE_Nobody_Dies

[VladimirTherin]

You can set up the software somewhere that is behind a firewall that can be configured to update a dyndns entry easily enough.

Also, nowadays most "dynamic" ips don't change all that often with most broadband.

[Wiregeek]

which makes dyndns even easier to use, I'd forgotten about that.
"No can brain today. Want cheezeburger."
From NGE: Nobody Dies, by Gregg Landsman
http://www.fanfiction.net/s/5579457/1/NGE_Nobody_Dies

[robkelk]

Where are your family members?

me: 3Mb/768kb DSL, dynamic IP
dad: ?/? DSL, static IP
uncle: ?/? cable modem, ? (I believe dynamic) IP
Not sure whether anyone else has anything other than dialup.

And each node is connected to the 'net through a different ISP, of course.
--
Rob Kelk
"Governments have no right to question the loyalty of those who oppose
them. Adversaries remain citizens of the same state, common subjects of
the same sovereign, servants of the same law."

- Michael Ignatieff, addressing Stanford University in 2012

[Sofaspud]

DynDNS.org is your friend. I use it to access my server, which runs my VPN, FTP, TeamSpeak, Remote Desktop, and so on. You have to configure your firewall
properly, and be warned that -some- wifi routers need to be tweaked to pass VPN traffic correctly.

DynDNS will do all that for free, in the form "username.dyndns.org"; you have to remember to sign in monthly at least to keep the account active.
They also have tips for setting your network up so it will handle updating itself regularly, meaning you don't have to worry about figuring out when your
IP changes.

XP Pro comes with a built-in VPN server, but it can only handle 2 connections simultaneously. That's all I personally need, so that's all I use, but
there are free VPN server solutions out there, and of course if you have a budget you can get any number of commercial ones. I don't have any firm
recommendations there.

Finally... what exactly are you wanting to do? Because for a hassle-free solution, I'd suggest Hamachi. You don't need to do any port configuration,
you don't need to set up a VPN server, and so on. It negotiates all that for you, and is free for home and personal use. You don't even need to
bother with DynDNS.

http://secure.logmein.com/products/hamachi2/

--sofaspud
--"Listening to your kid is the audio equivalent of a Salvador Dali painting, Spud." --OpMegs

[CattyNebulart]

look up Hamachi. zeroconfig VPN client.
E: "Did they... did they just endorse the combination of the JSDF and US Army by showing them as two lesbian lolicons moving in together and holding hands and talking about how 'intimate' they were?"
B: "Have you forgotten so soon? They're phasing out Don't Ask, Don't Tell."

[Bluemage]

Seconding Hamachi- it's a very good program, and very easy to learn/operate.

---

My Unitarian Jihad Name is: Brother Atom Bomb of Courteous Debate. Get yours.

I've been writing a bit.

[robkelk]

Finally... what exactly are you wanting to do?

I want to do medialess off-site backup. I'm not sure what the others want to do...

Thanks for the help, all!
--
Rob Kelk
"Governments have no right to question the loyalty of those who oppose
them. Adversaries remain citizens of the same state, common subjects of
the same sovereign, servants of the same law."

- Michael Ignatieff, addressing Stanford University in 2012