Internet Protocols  «Prev  Next»

Remote Access Protocols and email Protocols

  1. PPTP: Encapsulates other protocols for transmission over an IP network and can be used to set up a VPN
  2. SLIP: Provides dial-up access to the Internet between two LANs and does not encrypt passwords
  3. IMAP: Stores messages until users log on and download them and allows archiving of messages in folders
  4. MIME: Identifies the type of information in a message or document and is used by email readers and Web servers
  5. POP3: Allows users to download email via email clients and is not encrypted
  6. SMTP: Sends and forwards email to and between email servers over the Internet and is not encrypted

PPTP (Point-to-Point Tunneling Protocol)

The PPTP (Point-to-Point Tunneling Protocol) is a networking protocol that is used to create Virtual Private Networks (VPNs). It was developed by Microsoft and is widely supported by various operating systems and network devices. The primary function of the PPTP protocol is to establish a secure and encrypted tunnel between two devices over a public network, such as the internet. This tunnel is created by encapsulating the data packets within PPTP packets, which are then transmitted over the internet. Once the packets reach the destination, they are de-encapsulated and the data is transmitted to its intended destination.
The PPTP protocol provides a number of benefits, including ease of use and compatibility with a wide range of devices and operating systems. It is also relatively fast and efficient, making it suitable for applications that require real-time data transmission, such as voice and video. However, there are some potential security concerns associated with the PPTP protocol. The encryption used by PPTP is relatively weak, which means that it may be vulnerable to certain types of attacks. Additionally, some experts have raised concerns about the potential for PPTP to be exploited by malicious actors. In summary, the PPTP protocol is a widely used networking protocol that is primarily used to establish secure and encrypted VPN tunnels between two devices over a public network. While it offers some benefits in terms of ease of use and compatibility, there are also potential security concerns associated with its use. As with any networking protocol, it is important to weigh the benefits and risks before implementing PPTP in a given environment.

Remote Access Servers

Setting up remote access servers and connections in Windows can be somewhat overwhelming and confusing if you do not understand the protocol configuration options involved. You have a number of remote access protocol options to choose from, and deciding which ones to use will depend on 1) the functionality you need, 2) your system configuration, and 3) your hardware and communications capabilities. To help make sense of all these options, we will take a look at the categories of protocols and the advantages and disadvantages of the various protocols within each one.

Categories and choices

First, you need to consider two distinct methods of remote access, each of which uses different protocols:
  1. Dial-up
  2. Virtual private networking (VPN)

Within each method, there are three basic categories for protocols:
  1. Connectivity
  2. Authentication
  3. Data encryption
In making decisions about which protocol to use, you must remember four things.
  1. First, you want the best security you can provide for the remote session.
  2. You want authentication to be encrypted so that someone who is packet sniffing cannot see it, and
  3. You want the data that is passed in the remote session to be encrypted for the same reason.
  4. Older systems and their associated protocols are less capable in terms of encryption than newer systems, so you need to be aware of when it may be necessary to use the older protocols and what you are sacrificing when you do.