What is VPN?
VPN is an acronym for Virtual Private Network
A VPN creates a virtual "tunnel" through which your data travels from your computer, over the Internet, to the VPN hardware at UCR. One benefit derived from using a VPN is that the "tunnel" protects your data from being "overheard" as it passes over the public Internet. Another is that, when using a VPN connection, your computer "appears" on the campus network as if it were on campus.
You can think of a VPN as a secure data tunnel between your computer (either at home or while traveling) and the UCR network. UCR offers two different types of VPN service: WebVPN and client-based VPN. The two services are aimed at different usages, and offer different primary benefits. VPN Services are available to students, staff, and faculty in the UCR community.
WebVPN is aimed at those users who wish to access web-based resources associated with UCR Libraries, which require a campus presence. WebVPN is the recommended solution for accessing these resources. The WebVPN service is initiated and accessed through a browser session. The primary benefit of WebVPN is that it is very simple and requires no client installation. This makes it ideal for users who do not wish to install extra software on their home machines, or for situations where one is using a public computer. The primary drawback of WebVPN is that it can only be used to access web-based resources. For more information on using WebVPN, please click here. For a list of a small number of web-based resources that cannot be accessed through WebVPN, click here.
Client VPN is aimed at those users who frequently access their UCR e-mail from home using clients such as Eudora or Outlook, and for those users that must access non-web-based resources that require a campus presence, or which require higher security (PPS, SIS, etc.). Client VPN can also be used by wireless users on campus desiring to secure their wireless communications, which currently has no built-in security. Without a client VPN connection, if you use Eudora to check your UCR e-mail from your home computer, your username and password are transmitted "in the clear". You should be aware that your data is not encrypted once it reaches the campus network, but is as secure as it would be if you were connected directly to the network while on campus. The primary benefit of client VPN is the ability to secure non-web-based resources. The primary drawback is that this type of VPN requires the installation of client software, though the installation is relatively simple.
Both VPN services utilize the same type of industry-standard encryption, and both are equally secure within their respective usage scenarios.