In reply to:

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O.K. on the Corporate world...

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It is not a question simply of being corporate, any home with a router has a network, even if it only has two devices on it (router and one computer). If you and your wife are both at home, you have a network with at least four devices - the router, your desktop and two laptops.

Our system has 9-10 devices on the immediately local network and another computer via a router and VPN about 80 miles away. This may be thought unusual, but what do you do with parents and a couple of kids who all need independent computing facilities? Having individual dial-up or broadband connections is a bit extravagant and do they all have their own printers?

I would suggest that the difference between domestic and corporate is one of scale and, because, having justified the expenditure, the money to do it right can be there, the challenge is at least as great in the domestic world where the pressure to cut costs (even at the expense of economy, efficiency and effectiveness) is greater.

Hi,

Many thanks for all the detail, all duly noted.
I don't think my router includes VPN option... BT2110

Maybe I should just bite the bullet and try it... Having backed up/imaged my PC

Hi,

Yes, my point about Corporate was about scale and risk vs cost
At home we have a few PC's and a 3 users.. vs 100K+ users at the last company I worked for.

*Update*

Decided to give Hamachi a try...
1 Desktop & 2 Laptops connected, all went without a hitch.
Only rules in Firewall: allow Hamachi to run, and add the 5.xx.yyy.zzz into trusted zone.
Did not have to open any ports, or do any forwarding of ports.. It just worked
According to www.grc.com "Sheilds Up" still fully stealthed on everything.

Desktop
Laptop
Laptop on Desktop via RADmin

With the Hamachi IP's being static, the Desktop/Laptop IP's can be Dynamic.
I'm happy, I will now get a license for RADmin