[KLUG Members] VPN Clients?

[Adam Williams]

> I don't think switching is an option for me, esp. to something like SuSE
> or RH. That's a great thing about linux right? I shouldn't need to
> switch.

There are binary packages of pptp for all major distributions.  I assume
from "to something like SuSE or RH" that you are not using a mainstream
distro?

> I do have a smoothwall running. I may be confused about this pptp thing,
> isn't that a dial-up thing? I need over Ethernet, without pppoe.

PPTP is point-to-point-tunnelling-protocol, an extenstion to PPP (point
to point protocol) for creating end-to-end links over IP networks. 
These links can themselves carry IP or other protocols like NetBEUI or
IPX which is why Microsoft create/needed it - they had one SORRY excuse
for an IP stack until VERY recently.

PPTP basically is a predessesor of PPPOE which is a superior protocol
since it is all in-channel.  PPTP uses a GRE/IP out-of-channel session
setup and control section that makes it a real PITA to route, proxy, and
firewall.

But I don't know of anyway to use PPPOE as a VPN mechanism however,
since PPPOE is PPP-Over-Ethernet, that is PPP encapsulated in frames not
IP - so you can't route a PPPOE connection over any network where you
aren't the administrator of the routers.