What is VPN and why would you want to use it?

An international call (or even a National call) is expensive. If a satellite office is connected for many hours to another office, the cost of the connection can be exorbitant and it is worth looking for alternative methods.

One of the most common methods used today to reduce costs of data calls (computer to computer) is to use VPN. Each Computer or network is connected only to their local Internet Service Provider (ISP) at a local rate which makes a much cheaper call charge.

VPN (Virtual Private Network) is the method used to provide a secure connection between two computers or computer networks across the Internet.

There are three main connection methods:

Plain Old Telephone System (POTS)
Analogue connection normally used for voice calls. Using a modem, the maximum data throughput is 56Kbps although, because of losses incurred at exchanges this is not likely to be achieved over long distance.

Integrated Services Digital Network (ISDN)
Digital connection with 64Kbps or 128Kbps connection speeds. This requires a Terminal Adapter to connect the network to the ISDN service. The ISDN connection is fairly inexpensive. Call costs are slightly higher than standard calls but the quality and speed of connection is far better.

Leased Line
Leased lines have a connection charge and a rental charge. Leased lines become cost effective if the ISDN calls exceed 4 hours per day. Leased lines are available for various bandwidths
(64Kbps to 2 Mbps and higher). The leased line is on all the time and there is no limit on usage. You are charged for the lease of the line, not for how often you access the internet.

 

---