Hello:

I have a Linux File server at home and all local Windows machines have their Documents Folder mapped to it and all files are saved there.

I can putty into it, but I would like to VPN to it so that I can read & write files from a remote location.

How can I do this using the Windows VPN client?

Thanks!

easy way: u can transfer files via ssh. http://winscp.sourceforge.net
hard way: installing a VPN server. www.freeswan.org www.poptop.org and others ...

good luck.

So then what's the easiest way to install a VPN Server?

Can I buy a wireless router with VPN built in it OR can I run a VPN Server on the Linux Server? Right now, I have a Netgear WGR 614 with Port Forwarding.

Either way, I'd like to know my options, but if I can just install a VPN server on the linux server, I'd like to learn that way as well.

www.poptop.org is a pptp server. The pptp client is a already built into XP.

as i can see u have 3 options right now.
1- install VPN server on linux.
i didnt mean there was a easy way to install vpn server.
i use poptop on linux with 2.4.x series kernel, and it needs kernel modules and some iptables comands. i can say it is hard.
u can try openvpn (http://sourceforge.net/projects/openvpn/) and freeswan(.org)
if i remember correctly they are ipsec based VPN server. and i didnt try them b4.
2 - install winscp(.sourceforge.net) on xp client to get or send files via ssh. easiest way.!
3- if your modem doesnt support VPN, buy a new one which supports VPN

maybe u have more options. but i just know these.

good luck.

I love having options.

What's the consensus on Freeswan vs PopTop ?

Which is more automated and which is more robust? Are these the two best VPN servers for Linux?

Does anyone having used more than one VPN Client have any reccomendations ?

is a no brainer.

I am a total n00b to Linux - but not to VPN and I just wanted to sound a note of caution that M$ in their wisdom really screwed with the VPN client in SP2 for XP - enough that it does not work with my corporate VPN server and I am holding two of my five XP machines to SP1 in order to enable my VPN for work,. Sometimes the problem may not hit and sometimes you can work around with a ROUTE ADD command at the XP end but I wanted you to get the earliest heads up on this issue.

Hope I helped.

I've decided to try OpenVPN becuase it has lots of documentation. Have other tried it?

OpenVPN has a lot of advantages over other (some proprietary) solutions, try and you will love it!

(it's also very scalable and pretty easy to have 1 windows client connect with multiple different vpn servers at the same time)

cheers!

well the solution is quite simple you can simply try using a software called WINSCP for windows and enable ssh on the linux server that would provide u with perfect vpn solution.

If I use putty, does that mean SSH is on?

well, depending on the protocol you selected (in putty), it could be that ssh is on.
most probably it is, because it the default for most distributions.