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Mac OS X VPN Solutions, Part 1: Connecting to a VPN

  • Dec 15, 2006
Connecting to a remote network using VPN technologies gives users secure and easy access to resources by using the Internet as a conduit for communication. Although the basic technology is the same for Mac OS X, Windows, and many network devices, the actual process of implementing a VPN solution can vary widely between computing platforms and depends on the VPN protocols being used. In this first of three articles covering VPN solutions for Mac OS X, Ryan Faas explains the common VPN protocols and concepts and how to configure the VPN client included in Mac OS X.
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Virtual Private Network (VPN) refers to a series of network protocols that enable computers to establish secure and encrypted connections, commonly referred to as tunnels, by using the Internet. These connections or tunnels can then be used for secure access to network resources. VPN access relies on a VPN server with which clients establish the secure connection. The VPN server manages the connection with clients and provides them with a second IP address that they use instead of the IP address provided by their ISP or local network when accessing resources on the remote network to which they are connected. The VPN server also acts as a router, transferring traffic between the clients accessing it and the network.

Once a computer connects to the network via VPN, it can see and access all network resources as if it were physically connected to the network. This means that users can access share points and home directories, email and messaging servers, application and terminal servers, and even print queues as though they were connected to the network. This makes VPN the most comprehensive method for remotely accessing resources within a network.

NOTE

The original—and most common—use of VPN capabilities is to enable individual workstations to connect to a network from a location outside that network. These connections are established from individual workstations to a VPN server and exist only as long as the user is accessing resources on the network. They are generally used for transferring a limited amount of data and generally do not require much configuration. However, it is becoming more common to use permanent VPN connections as a network technology. This enables network administrators to join separate work sites within a single network in much the same way that they would using leased lines of various types, often at a reduced cost.

VPN Servers and Protocols

VPN servers come in all manner of shapes and sizes. They can be software solutions that run on a server (we’ll discuss how to configure the VPN service built into Mac OS X Server in part 2 of this series) and they can also be found in various types of networking hardware such as routers and firewalls. There are even dedicated VPN devices that serve no other network function but to create one end of a VPN tunnel, although they are becoming less common as VPN functionality is built into general use routers and firewalls.

Regardless of the form of the VPN server, VPN connections are established using one of a handful of protocols. Support for two of these protocols (Point to Point Tunneling Protocol [PPTP] and Layer 2 Tunneling Protocol over IPSec [L2TP]) is built into Mac OS X. A third commonly used protocol is IP Security [IPSec]. IPSec is used by a number of routers that include VPN server features (many small/home office routers supporting VPN offer only IPSec support). Although Mac OS X doesn’t include any capabilities to access an IPSec VPN out of the box, Cisco does produce a VPN client for Mac OS X that can be used to access IPSec VPN networks. (Although your mileage may vary, this client can be used to connect to some VPN servers other than Cisco products.)

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