Vista - How to setup VPN and network drive in Vista?

Hello,

I would like to setup a VPN so that i can share my home videos and pictures with my family across the state. I would like to be able to setup a network drive so that vista media center can monitor it. This way we could turn on vista and browse to the vids or pics and see what is new. This would save a lot of hassle of emailing them all the time.

We all have the same dynamic isp, routers and Vista proff or ultimate. So i'm thinking that if i can get 2 computers to work like i want over a VPN then i'll have no problem with the rest of the families computers.

I have used Cisco to successfully setup a vpn across country using one computer with vista and the other with xp. Is vista's vpn setup similar to cisco's?

Is Vista capable of creating what i described above?

Thanks for any help. I also posted this at the greenbutton because it relates to VMC.

Hey Dbacs,

Yeah Vista can run this quite easily itself but I prefer another option called Hamachi for secure LAN <> LAN connections over VPN...

For Vista`s builtin options you only need to create a "Incomming Connection" then create VPN dialup connections for each client , this method is less secure however because anyone can try join the VPN whereas Hamachi has controls and easy management compared with the built-in options

They are all free products, I suggest looking at Microsoft's Live Mesh
https://secure.logmein.com/products/...pn.asp?lang=en

There are two new beta Microsoft solutions aswell...
https://www.foldershare.com/
https://www.mesh.com/Welcome/Welcome.aspx

Steven

And then there is OpenVPN:

Welcome to OpenVPN

Ok thanks, these all sound very good!

Ok with Himanchi, how do i share files with people that are not on my LAN? I have no problem with sharing files on my LAN with file and folder sharing in vista, it works like a dream and is easy to setup. It works great with VMC also. But these people are miles away. Is a LAN with a VPN in vista possible over long distances? Hmm... not sure if i asked that correctly.

But i would like ti for my grandmother to turn on her computer and click on a short cut and bam! she's looking at pictures or home movies. Which one of the things you mentioned do you think would be the closest to that?

If i use Windows Live Folder i would have to give my login info to anyone i want to share files with, correct?

Windows live mesh seems to be the closest thing to what i want. Any idea if i can use it with media center somehow? I signed up with a pending status. Will get on of space opens up.

Thanks again.

The first link is a Log Me In product using Hamachi - and you *don't* have to buy it - there is a free version that works with more restrictions than the paid version - but it works just fine, especially for what you look like you want to do.

Ok Awesome!

i didn't read up on Hamanchi before i posted that last one.

That's amazing that Hamanchi acts as a LAN. I think that's exactly what i want.

Have you ever used media center with Hamanchi?

Not me personally - I don't share media out *yet*.

I have 2 Vista machines here and I really should start experimenting with them to see what I can and cannot do....but I have so many projects, so little time...

BTW, the Log Me In Hamachi is just a Log Me program that uses Hamachi - which is basically P2P

I see, but is the basic still LAN? And for example, i have about 15 relatives/houses i'd like to connect to. Is there a way to do that with the free version? If not do you know if everyone would have to pay subscription price?

Sorry if i'm missing the obvious answers. It just seems to good to be true. Can't wait to try it out.

Thanks again.

Yes - look at the left hand side on the page and you can see the free versus paid link - it gives you the details. The free actually allows 16 clients to connect so you're good on that respect...

Ok thank for all the help.