Help me understand VPN

[Nblufire12]

hey guys

what is a VPN and what is the intended use?

[djm0219]

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

[Nblufire12]

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vpn
i can google anything, but it wont give me a specific answer

so lets say im on a computer at my friends house

i can connect to my server at home through VPN to...?

speed up my download speed while downloading from that same server?

wuld that work?

[ckeyrouz]

read this article:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Virtual_private_network

[ckeyrouz]

sorry too late
I did not see the posts.

Apologies.

[Nblufire12]

can u answer my connection

i have a home server and if i go to a friends house and want to download something from my home server, if i connect to my home server's VPN, will it boost my download speeds?

[ckeyrouz]

No.

VPN (Virtual private network) allows you to open a private connection through a private tunnel that no one can access it but you.

The tunnel is opened using the current internet speed, so it is dependant on other factors.

The main property that it has, is the privacy.

Hope this answered your question.

[Nblufire12]

so it doesnt connect to my server?

i thought it connects to it... so i'm on the same network

[oracleguy]

If you were at a friends house and you use a VPN to connect to your network at home, you are on the same network or at least a separate subnet that is routed onto your main network. It depends on the configuration of your VPN server.

Your download speed off your VPN connection is depend on the upload speed of your connection at home. But you cannot use your friends internet connection and the VPN connection to get a faster download speed. The reason is that where do you think the VPN data is downloaded on? Your friend's Internet connection.

I also saw you asked what a VPN is used for. It is used to provide a secure connection between a remote client and an internal network. The remote client then can work just like it is physically on the network.

Like in my last job I would use the company VPN to work from home. I could access network shares and servers, just like I was at work.

[Nblufire12]

I understand, I was just thinking of ways to boost my download speed from my friends house. I have to download a large file from my home server and I thought a VPN would connect to my home network and would boost the speed a little bit. Because when I'm on my computer and download the file on my home server, I get around 4 mbps.

[Apostropartheid]

If it's small enough to fit on a USB stick, try that. It's very likely that the combined up/down speed would still be faster than what you average from a VPN.

[Nblufire12]

Yea it's too big for USB lol, but i also just want to figure out a way to download faster from my home server.

[oracleguy]

I understand, I was just thinking of ways to boost my download speed from my friends house. I have to download a large file from my home server and I thought a VPN would connect to my home network and would boost the speed a little bit. Because when I'm on my computer and download the file on my home server, I get around 4 mbps.

But you'd still only be using one connection at your friends house, even with your VPN connected. It is like having two big pipes feed the same small pipe, you only get as much water as the small pipe can handle, even if you add more big pipes.

The USB solution would work, you can get 16GB jump drives, or those 2.5" external hard drives which are 250GB and up usually.

[Nblufire12]

whats the small pipe?

my servers bandwidth is 10 down/ 2 up ;)

[ckeyrouz]

The small pipe is the internet connection at your friend's house

[Apostropartheid]

Yes. And you'll never regret having an external hard disk, either >.<

[Nblufire12]

Hmm ok, Any video tutorials on how to make an effective VPN?

[Apostropartheid]

I think you're misunderstanding us. You're very likely getting to top speed you can get from your VPN.

Imagine a large funnel over a bucket. The funnel is the Internet speed at your mate's house, and water in the bucket is how much of the file he has. However much water you pour into the funnel at one time--which is your Internet connection's upload speed--the funnel can only let in so much water at a time.

Either that, or the file is truly massive and you're quoting your upload speed in Mbits p/s rather than mbps.

[Nblufire12]

ok i think i understand a little better

now after i read up on creating my VPN, how do i connect to the VPN at my friends house?

[Nblufire12]

ok wow, i setup the VPN server then connected to the VPN.

but im a little confused with the features of connecting to a VPN. will i have access to the files on the server? or am I just using the internet of the server.

[oracleguy]

When connected to the VPN the computer is just like any other computer on your home network. But using a VPN will not improve your download speeds.

What VPN server are you using?

[Nblufire12]

I just looked on google how to make one.

VPN Server? Windows XP? Not sure lol

[oracleguy]

I just looked on google how to make one.

VPN Server? Windows XP? Not sure lol

Then what did you do? A VPN requires a server side program and a client program on the client computer.

[Nblufire12]

What??

I just followed this (http://www.onecomputerguy.com/networking/xp_vpn_server.htm)tutorial

[oracleguy]

Ok, that should work and when you connect to it at your friends house, you'll get an IP with the range you put in on the configuration dialog in the wizard.

The XP VPN server thingy is fairly limited but works to understand the concept of a VPN. Different VPN servers support more advanced security and network configurations.

[Nblufire12]

What other VPN Servers are there?

and What IP Range in the config dialog? this one?

http://www.onecomputerguy.com/images/xp_vpn_server8.jpg

[oracleguy]

Yeah, when you connect to it, the VPN connection on your friends computer will have an IP between those two addresses.

[Nblufire12]

I left Assign TCP/IP Automatically using DHCP checked.

Is that ok.?

[oracleguy]

I left Assign TCP/IP Automatically using DHCP checked.

Is that ok.?

Maybe, depends what DHCP server it uses but if it doesn't work, you can change it.

[Nblufire12]

Ok, great. I'll try this out when I go to my friends house.

[oracleguy]

Don't forget to forward the port on your router if you haven't already.

[Nblufire12]

Yea I did alrdy, thanks.

[Nblufire12]

Sigh, I just tried it on my friends computer and the speeds were exactly the same.

For some reason, it started at 4 mbps download but whined down to 160 kbps :(

Is there any way i can "connect" to my server's network to increase download speeds.

[ckeyrouz]

NO.

If your severs' upload speed is 10 MBPS and your friend's network is 5 MBPS you will be limited to 5 MBPS.

if your friend's network is 10 MBPS and your server's upload speed is 7 MBPS you will be stick to the 7 MBPS.

There is no way you increase the download speed unless you increase the speed of connection line you have.

you cannot drive a Porsche with the same speed on a narrow road full of curves and bumps in the same way and the same speed you do when you are on a freeway in Germany (I mentioned Germany because there is no speed limit on the freeways there).

Got the point?

[Nblufire12]

Ok, I guess. I just thought connecting to a virtual network would increase the speed.