Cable Modems and VPN Access

A Virtual Private Network, or VPN, allows users to access a secure private network from a public network, and connects remote users. This method allows users access to a business's secure servers without the need for a dedicated leased line. These virtual connections use the Internet to link users, but makes sure that any data that is delivered to them cannot be seen by third parties. VPNs are used by companies that have remote locations, usually in more than one city, and require that data be sent from location to location. Information passes through a secure "tunnel" made in the Internet, and is delivered to users as if they were on a secure intranet. Although dial up access and DSL would function with a VPN, cable internet service seems to be favored by many VPN providers. This is in part due to the upper limits of bandwidth that cable offers for download, but also the upload capability of cable outshines the competition. As data is traveling both ways through a VPN, it is important to keep throughput moving at a good pace for everyone concerned. Cable And Remote Clients A site-to-site VPN would rarely use a cable connection, and even then only to connect a remote user. Cable Internet functions best when allowing remote users to tunnel into a network from many different locations. Although there may be authentication via private access keys, these connections can "seem" to be always on even if they are not. If a VPN will support 100 users, but all 100 don't need the service all of the time, the number of client connections can be limited to preserve bandwidth at the servers, and let cable users take advantage of their robust connection. These connections will be made to time out or disconnect after download, although to the end user it still appears a connection is being made. VPN connections made via cable Internet networks are not only here to stay, they are growing fast. This technology is only going to get better over time, and soon VPNs will be made with the bandwidth it takes to take full advantage of the speed inherent in a high speed broadband cable Internet network. VPN Configurations There are two common types of VPN in use now, site-to-site and remote client. A remote client VPN is a single user that connects to a host network. This connection is dynamic and only exists while the user is actively accessing files. Site-to-site VPNs are permanent connections between two locations using equipment dedicated to this task. The typical telecommuter will use a remote client, while larger network to network connections are made via a site-to-site configuration. Cable And VPN Perfomance When Internet access is discussed, speed is almost always the number one priority. This is not the case for VPNs, although it does come in third. Security is the number one issue with VPNs, and if speed must be sacrificed, then so be it. Fortunately with cable Internet access, the slow down is usually minor if the enterprise is using up to date servers. Interoperability is the second issue with VPNs. With remote users ranging from sales people, partners, and possibly customers, a VPN must be usable by many platforms and software. With the business community dominated by Windows' products this usually isn't a problem, but many firms have art houses that are Mac oriented. This coupled with different software configurations, and remote users with no IT background, VPNs need to be flexible and easy to use.