Flexible automated connection to virtual private networks
First Claim
1. A method performed at a network interface unit (NIU) for communicating data packets over a non-secure network between client devices on a local area network (LAN) and an access node for a secure virtual private network (VPN) comprising authenticating at least one of said client devices seeking to access said VPN, thereby establishing at least one authenticated client device, sending configuration information from a configuration server at said NIU to said authenticated client devices, sending at least one menu from a GUI server at said NIU to authenticated client devices, receiving at least a first message reflecting at least one selection at at least one of said authenticated client devices from said at least one menu, and means for accessing said non-secure network using information in said at least a first message, and establishing a secure connection between said non-secure network and said access node using a security server at said NWJ.
3 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A network interface unit is provided for use intermediate a LAN and a public or private network, or a combination of both, for establishing secure links to a VPN gateway. Login by a LAN client with the network interface unit, addressing, authentication, and other configuration operations achieved using a web page-based GUI are applied in establishing tunnels from LAN clients to desired VPN destinations. Illustrative network interface units include a DHCP server and provide encryption-decryption and encapsulation-decapsulation of data packets for communication with VPN nodes. Configuration and connection of a client are further enhanced by a built-in DNS server and other functional servers to provide a high degree of autonomy in establishing connections to a desired VPN gateway via an ISP or other public and/or private network links to. The interface unit then performs required authentication exchanges, and required encryption key exchanges.
173 Citations
25 Claims
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1. A method performed at a network interface unit (NIU) for communicating data packets over a non-secure network between client devices on a local area network (LAN) and an access node for a secure virtual private network (VPN) comprising
authenticating at least one of said client devices seeking to access said VPN, thereby establishing at least one authenticated client device, sending configuration information from a configuration server at said NIU to said authenticated client devices, sending at least one menu from a GUI server at said NIU to authenticated client devices, receiving at least a first message reflecting at least one selection at at least one of said authenticated client devices from said at least one menu, and means for accessing said non-secure network using information in said at least a first message, and establishing a secure connection between said non-secure network and said access node using a security server at said NWJ.
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22. A method practiced at a network interface unit (NIU) for communicating data packets over a non-secure network between client devices on at least one local area network (LAN) and at least one access node of a secure virtual private network (VPN), the method comprising
receiving data packets from said devices by way of said LANs, multiplexing said data packets into at least one packet data stream, modifying said packet data streams in a security server in accordance with a secure communications protocol by encrypting packets in said data streams and encapsulating resulting encrypted packets, providing network destination address information from a DNS server for at least selected ones of said data streams.
Specification