Details on the two most popular Open Source VPNs, and books you can buy that will teach you to install and configure them.
The choice is simple really: for ease, get OpenVPN. For flexibility, get OpenSwan.
And if you want super ease, and aren't too fussed about Open Source then check out Hamachi for instant VPN gratification.
Packt Books at PacktPub.com
10% off, ebooks available
The easiest way to get a VPN set up is to have a book that guides you through the process. Packt provides a book on the two most popular open source VPNs. I recommend that you choose between these two, and buy the books too!
- OpenVPN: Building and Integrating Virtual Private Networks
- "Learn how to build secure VPNs using this powerful Open Source application."
OpenVPN is fairly easy to use, and requires less client configuration than OpenSwan and many other VPN applications. For a start, it transmits data using SSL rather than IPSec. You don't need to know what this means! ... but SSL is more likely to work easily if members of the VPN are behind firewalls or accessing the VPN from home. - Openswan: Building and Integrating Virtual Private Networks
- "Learn from the developers of Openswan how to build industry standard, military grade VPNs and connect them with Windows, MacOSX, and other VPN vendors."
This is the option for really serious, complicated VPNs. Not only can you configure it a lot, but the chances are you will have to configure it quite a lot.
Hamachi: Free, Easy, Not Open Source
Could this be the best option?
If you want a really easy way to get a small VPN, Hamachi gives you zero-config "peer to peer VPN". Basically you install it on all the machines you want to VPN, and it works kind of like an Instant Messaging app. You add other machines to the VPN, and watch as they appear on your network!It's like magic! Check it out at http://www.hamachi.cc
You don't pay anything, but it's not open source. And it offers nothing like the flexibility of a real, grown up VPN.
Packt VPN books on Amazon
Buy our books on Amazon too
OpenVPN: Building and Integrating Virtual Private Networks: Learn how to build secure VPNs using this powerful Open Source application
Amazon Price: $46.84 (as of 12/25/2009) 
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