VPN for safer Public Wireless?

Hello,

I have been reading a bit about using a VPN to encrypt your wireless connection when in a public location.

I don't know much, but I am interested in running a light Linux distro on my wife's old laptop and possibly setting up a VPN with it. I also have a Trendnet and a Linksys router (WRT54G v5).

Can someone explain to me the advantages/disadvantages of setting up a VPN, and is it difficult? or a hassle to maintain? would Linux be the easiest way to go?

Any and all help is appreciated. Thanks!

 

Are you going to VPN from public hotspot in to your home network and use your network to get out to internet? That is a lot of overhead to me, and you have to have a server stand by for VPN connection at all time too.

I don't know much about Linux, but Windows is easier and much more efficient for VPN if you use L2TP over PPTP.

 

This is my intention, but if it's a beastly thing to do, then perhaps I won't even bother.

 

Well, you have to have a server stand by at all time. It creates overhead, and you would feel the latency on connection. If I were you, I would not do it. You can try if you have a lot of free time. VPN in my company isn't intend for internet surfing, but it is more like connection to local LAN such as file server, database server, secure email, and etc.

 

Very well, are you aware of any other DIY/free solutions to securing connections over public wifi?

 

Well, it isn't that dangerous if you connect to public Wi-fi as you think. Most of the websites are using SSL to authenticate username and password. Firewall would be sufficient for your machine. If you use Vista, it has the public profile on its firewall. It prevents your computer to be visible on the network.

I would not be that paranoid though. IE8 would allows private browsing mode, but it is still in beta stage. Hacking isn't that easy on public hot spot like in the movie.

 

Check out hamachi.

https://secure.logmein.com/products/hamachi/vpn.asp?lang=en

If you want to VPN back to your home ISP, this is the best way to do it.

 

SSH tunneling is where it is at...for crying out loud I need to make a **** tutorial on how to do it! haha I will do this tonight at work

 

Correct me if I'm wrong, but SSH is for occasional remote access, like checking email, whereas VPN is used for a constant connection on a remote host (connecting to a home server for internet access, streaming music, working on files, etc). AFAIK, when VPN fails (usually when connected at hotels, due to NAT interfering with IPSec VPN connections), then SSH is a good method for brief connections to check email, download files, etc.

Here's a good example of using VPN instead of SSH (I think it's good, anyway): Running Windows Home Server and installing Hamachi, so I can access my music, videos, files and folders, and also connecting to any computer connected to my home network. I can also use my home internet connection to access the WWW, and not have to worry about the unsecured connection that I'm using out in public.

 

Kego:

So, I have used hamachi in the past, looks like I will have to bust it out again. How exactly do I set it up, I would be interest in both the Hamachi VPN & the tunneling, to see which suits me better.

Truth be told, I do not have a tower, and all the files I need are with my and my lappy, so getting access to things at home isn't crucial. However, I'd like to leave that option open.

 

I'd start by Googling for hamachi - there are guides on how to set it up. I don't know how much good it would do for you - you need two points to tunnel or VPN. Maybe there's a way to do this with a client and a VPN capable router, but I don't know how that would work.

 

Hamachi makes sharing files stupid simple. it wont encrypt anything other then that though. Hamachi uses a decent encryption system. for browsing the net at a coffee shop or whatever I recommend SSH tunneling as its easy to set up and very secure. if you want to browse the net and share files then you need a vpn connection that does not split tunnel your traffic(only traffic destined to the other end goes over the vpn and all other traffic goes out like normal) a decent vpn setup can cost you a bit but its worth it in the end.