How to limit running backup tasks to certain network configurations?
I've got a new twist to an old topic. I've just created a VPN tunnel between my LAN and a laptop so I can access computers and NAS drives on my LAN when I am away from home. The target for my laptop's backups is a NAS drive on the LAN. ATI can probably do successful backups when I'm using the LAN - I think it did one yesterday when I was testing my configuration - but I don't want it to.
In the past, Steve has suggested running a script that checks for availability of some resource that is available only from home, but (if I've succeeded) all such resources are available.
Output from "ipconfig" and "route print" contain hints that I'm in a VPN environment but are there more definitive ways to tell? I know next to nothing about Windows scripting. Are these commands even executable from a scripting environment? More importantly, can they be executed synchronously from a script started by the ATI pre/post command settings?
Not sure if you would have any interest in testing your VPN for privacy but if you do look Here
Steve Smith wrote:Patrick, when connected via VPN, have you tested the new Settings option in ATI 2020 to select which networks can be used for backup operations etc?
This will depend on whether the VPN fools the computer into believing it is on your home network or not?
In reading about those options I got the impression they functions just for cloud backups. I'll give it a try. It looks like I can turn on "Airport mode" when connected to my tethered phone. Then my WiFi radio is turned off and all my regular network IDs are unavailable. I will need to see what happens when I'm connected to my router with an Ethernet cable. Windows reports the network ID as one of my Wireless SSIDs, but I'm not sure whether ATI will react.
Steve Smith wrote:In terms of scripting, perhaps the simplest option would be to create a simple VPN.txt file when you are going to be using VPN to connect, then use a simple Pre Command to test if the file is present before doing any backup to your NAS.
echo off
if not exist VPN.txt goto backup
exit /b 1:backup
exit /b 0
Duh! That is the obvious solution. I was looking for something more technical.
Enchantech wrote:Not sure if you would have any interest in testing your VPN for privacy but if you do look Here
I'll check that out. I have no idea how secure/priveate this connection is.
Update: It looks like those tests are for a different use of VPN than the one I am using. Those test seem to assume I want all internet activity to flow through a VPN. That's not my use. I am using a regular (non-VPN) connection with the internet for all "normal" traffic, but also have a VPN connection to my LAN. Everything accessing devices on my LAN must either be on the LAN got go through the VPN. The endpoints of the VPN tunnel are on one (and soon to be two) of my laptops.
Patrick,
So is it your router that host a VPN software server to which you connect with from a laptop over the internet?
Will you be downloading data from your LAN over this connection to your laptop?
It is my understanding that VPN tunneling is a method of providing two things, one is a disguise of the source of the data packets of a transmission and two is the encryption of that same data. VPN's are not considered secure as most leak the true location of the source at times, for example if the connection is disrupted for some reason.
Because of this fact and the fact that unless you have a fairly big upload pipe from your ISP you might be better off using a VPN service that provides a VPN server for you. In this scenario you make an encrypted connection to the VPN server from your VPN client device (laptop). The VPN server after receiving your request deciphers your request and then sends the request over the internet.
I have an ASUS router that can provide VPN server functionality. I have used to connect to my LAN from my cell phone to access movies and music held on an NAS. This works well as I have a fairly robust upload speed of about 12Mbps. I use an independent connection from my phone to a laptop via USB tether. It is slick.
PM me if you want more details.
Enchantech wrote:Patrick,
So is it your router that host a VPN software server to which you connect with from a laptop over the internet?
Will you be downloading data from your LAN over this connection to your laptop?
It is my understanding that VPN tunneling is a method of providing two things, one is a disguise of the source of the data packets of a transmission and two is the encryption of that same data. VPN's are not considered secure as most leak the true location of the source at times, for example if the connection is disrupted for some reason.
Yes, my router - an ASUS AC86U - hosts the VPN server, an OpenVPN server.
I may be transferring some data between the laptop and a NAS, but mostly I will be a running Remote Desktop connection to a computer on the LAN.
I have no particular need or desire to disguise the source. I just want the only opening of the LAN to the outside world to require an encrypted connection. The purpose of the encryption is not to disguise the data flowing, but to require the external device to possess the private encryption key in order to access the LAN. In other words, I'm using the VPN to secure access to the LAN, not to hide data or disguise endpoints.
Connections between the laptop and anything else on the internet will not use the VPN. But those connections will be mostly nonexistent.
Enchantech wrote:Because of this fact and the fact that unless you have a fairly big upload pipe from your ISP you might be better off using a VPN service that provides a VPN server for you. In this scenario you make an encrypted connection to the VPN server from your VPN client device (laptop). The VPN server after receiving your request deciphers your request and then sends the request over the internet.
I have an ASUS router that can provide VPN server functionality. I have used to connect to my LAN from my cell phone to access movies and music held on an NAS. This works well as I have a fairly robust upload speed of about 12Mbps. I use an independent connection from my phone to a laptop via USB tether. It is slick.
PM me if you want more details.
I don't think a VPN service can provide the function I need, but I may take you up on the PM offer if I run into problems.
With your description here I see what your doing. It should work well. Look for a PM
I just got an email notification for this thread, but I see no update since January. Anyone have any ideas why I got the notification?
Not sure, Gremlins maybe?
Hi all,
there was a spam message, removed it
Thank you.