[PCTECH] Remote Connectivity

["Joe Pluta" <joepluta@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

I'm looking for remote connectivity software.  The question has been
asked before, but I'm wondering if there has been any change in the
world lately.  Note: I'm looking for software to connect securely to my
LAN, and also I'm trying to find something that I can use as a remote
control.

The primary goal is to be able to use WDSC and Telnet over the
connection.  That seems to me to require just a VPN.  Once I've got a
full VPN connection to my home machine, I should be able to run WDSC,
Telnet, whatever I need, right?  The second thing, though, is to be able
to run some software that lives on my desktop.

So, on to the questions:

Question 1:  What is the easiest way to create a VPN tunnel to my home
machine?  At this time, my network servers primarily run W2K Pro, and my
traveling machine has XP Home.


Question 2: Then there's remote control.  The more I think about it, the
less I actually need it, but I still want to look into it.

First, has anybody tried using the Remote Desktop Connection that is
supplied with Windows XP Pro?  That in and of itself might be enough for
me to set up a small XP-Pro machine here, which I could also use for
learning .NET.  Anybody manage to use a client over the Internet?  Over
a slow connection? 

There are a number of other packages out there that seem to allow remote
access.  One is TIghtVNC, another is UltraVNC.  Tons of others.  Any
recommendations?


Joe