- Virtual Private Network (VPN)
- Description: A VPN dynamically creates a secure communication link between two nodes over a public network like the internet. It allows for secure data transmission as if the devices were on a private network.
- Encapsulation: Data is encapsulated using secure protocols to ensure confidentiality and integrity.
- Network Address Translation (NAT)
- Function: NAT translates internal IP addresses to external IP addresses to allow devices within a private network to communicate over the public internet.
- NAT Considerations:
- Double NAT: Cannot be performed with the same IP range because the same IP address cannot appear inside and outside of a NAT router.
- IP Addressing: Care must be taken to avoid conflicts in IP addressing between internal and external networks when configuring NAT with a VPN.
These concepts highlight how VPNs secure communications across public networks, with NAT playing a crucial role in translating and managing IP addresses.