From: achilles@heel.com   
      
   Consumer level products like the Linksys BEFVP41 really make VPN   
   networking easy and affordable.  I set up mine at the office and have   
   not had to touch it for months.  If you don't have time to set things   
   up, just buy your local neighborhood techie soda and pizza and he'll be   
   more than happy to help you.  In fact, he may WANT to pay you because   
   setting up VPN could be fun :-).   
      
   But seriously, the keys to easy and trouble-free VPN setup are 1. get a   
   static IP for your main office, 2. use VPN routers of the same brand in   
   satellite offices, 3. keep things simple by making each satellite office   
   initiate the link to the main office only.   
      
      
   Dan Engebretson wrote:   
   > Admittedly I know very little of VPN's, PPTP and the like so please forgive   
   > me in advance. I come seeking guidance from the VPN gurus such as   
   > yourselves.   
   >   
   > I have a small business that I would like to setup as a distributed   
   > workforce (i.e., virtual office). There are three to four small home   
   > engineering "offices" (including my own) that need to be linked to form one   
   > happy, seamless virtual office. I do not want to lease dedicated lines so   
   > VPN sounds like the way to go (each office has either a cable modem or a DSL   
   > connection). The kicker is that I do not have an IT staff, I cannot afford   
   > to hire one, and I do not have the time (or expertise) to setup and manage a   
   > network myself.   
   >   
   > I would rather rent access to someone else's server and let them manage the   
   > VPN. Are there bona fide companies out there who provide VPN services but   
   > not for a Fortune 500 price? Essentially, the provider supplies access to   
   > their server and all our staff does is "dial in" from their home computers.   
   >   
   > Thank you in advance for any help you may be able to provide.   
   >   
   >   
      
   --- SoupGate-Win32 v1.05   
    * Origin: you cannot sedate... all the things you hate (1:229/2)