Windows XP Home and Professional include some tools to use the Internet for more than
just to "surf": to view WWW-webpages in HTML-format.
But the Internet has also its security problems, because any information transmitted from your system (like: your credit-card number , you enter on making an online purchase), is transmitted via several stages to the destination server, and somebody could listen in to that transmission:
Using VPN = Virtual Private Network, the Internet can be used for companies for internal use ,
allowing access to an internal e-Mail system ( like : Microsoft Exchange), an ERP system
(Enterprise Resource Planning, like SAP) or network access )::
| - | have the "road warriors" (salesmen, service technician,..) connect to the home office via Internet (instead of making expensive long distance, sometimes intercontinental, phone calls)  |
| - | connect branch offices in different locations (countries, continents) via Internet (instead via expensive leased lines, like: Frame-relay)  |
Using Microsoft VPN, you can also create a secure private network, connecting PC's at home
in different location.
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using VPN, a secure connection is established via the Internet :
There are several companies offering now devices/support for VPN connections.
| Microsoft support for Virtual Private Networking: | |
 | available as Client as FREE download from Microsoft as part of the Dialup-Networking 1.2 Upgrade |
 | included as Client |
| NT4 | included in NT4 Workstation and Server as Client and Server |
 | included with Windows 2000 Professional and Server |
 | Included with Windows XP Home and Professional : - define VPN-server to allowing an incoming VPN connection - define the VPN out-going connection - make the VPN connection VPN using PPTP is compatible between different Windows versions: - you can make connections between Windows95, 98, ME, NT4,2000 and XP |
