Linux Noob: VPN Server on Linux Box?

Hey guys,

Bit of a Linux noob here - I'm working on setting up a Linux box at home
to do all sorts of cool stuff that would be less elegant and cost more
to do with Windows! So far running a firewall, DNS, authenticated
IMAP/SMTP servers, Apache, MySQL, Squid, Samba... - so cool!

Anyway, I don't know if this can be done easily, or even if it can be
done, so please bear with me! My home network consists of a bunch of
machines connected to the internet via ADSL, which is shared out using
the Linux box. This also acts as a firewall.

I'd like to set up some kind of VPN that will allow me to connect from
my Windows laptop at work (or elsewhere) and let me access my home
network as if I was connected directly to it. Ideally, the VPN server
would be on the Linux firewall box, as that is always on.

Is this something that can be done relatively simply? What software
will I need on the Linux box? Any nice simple howto documents with step
by step instructions for getting it working on RH9? ;)

Cheers,

Alexis.

Alexis wrote:

> I'd like to set up some kind of VPN that will allow me to connect from
> my Windows laptop at work (or elsewhere) and let me access my home
> network as if I was connected directly to it.

Have a look at OpenVPN (http://openvpn.sf.net)

HTH,

Uli