Setting up a VPN Gateway A virtual private network (VPN) is a
tool that enables the secure transmission of data over untrusted
networks such as the Internet. VPNs commonly are used to connect
local area networks (LANs) into wide area networks (WANs) using
the Internet. Perhaps you need to build a VPN between two
offices but are not sure if the large infrastructure costs
associated with an enterprise-level VPN solution are
justifiable. The performance of applications that are intended
for use over LANs (for example those that use network file
sharing) seriously can be degraded over WAN connections.
Likewise, lower bandwidth and longer latency in WAN connections
can affect adversely the reliability and performance of
groupware and thin-client applications. Perhaps you have a home
office and would like to use your high-speed internet access to
connect seamlessly and securely to your office LAN through an
IPSec-capable router. Or perhaps you are just curious about VPNs
and IPSec in general and want to experiment.