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| VPN: Frequently Asked Questions |
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To gain access from home you need to complete a request form; once
completed, it needs to be agreed by a manager. You will then be
issued with a RSA SecurID key fob.
Please note: general access is not permitted and you need a
legitimate reason to connect. We have logs of when you
connect/disconnect and what you have accessed.
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Connectivity to the company network is achieved by creating a secure
tunnel through your existing Internet connection, known as a Virtual
Private Network (VPN). You are required to have a Windows based
computer running either Windows 2000 Service Pack 4, Windows XP SP2
or Vista 32bit. For the connection to be efficient, a fast
broadband Internet connection is recommended.
Does this work with all Internet Service Providers?
It does not work with AOL. Also there can be problems
with providers who use “Bandwidth throttling”; this means they limit the
connection during peak times. Tiscali (and therefore Pipex) are known
providers who do this. We have found BT, Be and O2 to be good providers.
Can I use a personal firewall? (e.g. Zone Alarm,
McAfee, Norton)
Yes, but these types of software can sometimes cause
intermittent connectivity issues with VPN. We recommend using the
Windows built-in firewall instead. If you run personal firewall software
from a 3rd party, you must configure it to "trust" (allow access to) the
VPN IP addresses
What is a RSA SecurID and why do I need it?
The SecurID token provides two factor authentication to ensure when
you access our network you are who you say you are. RSA have a
brief flash demonstration which explains how it works:
http://www.rsa.com/node.aspx?id=1159
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When you connect through the VPN, the network drives will not be
readily mapped; however you can access them through
'Windows Remote Desktop' or VNC Viewer.
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We are not anticipating allowing developers to install development
software on their home computers. Not only are there potential
licensing issues, problems could also arise from incompatible
software setup or older service packs. Using
'Windows Remote Desktop' or 'VNC'
to connect to your work computer is the preferred method.
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Additional software and configuration is
required to access client sites. You can obtain this if you are on
the support rota. Speak to James or Paul.
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Windows versions earlier than Windows XP Service Pack 2 required the
"Internet Connection Sharing" feature to be disabled.
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Included with the VPN software is a firewall; as a security measure,
all connections will be blocked from other computers. To get around
this, click the SecureClient icon by the clock and select
Tools-->Disable Security Policy
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