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VPN Connectivity From Iraq And Kuwait?
direktorjb writes "I have an urgent need to connect about 6 users in Baghdad and another 6 in Kuwait to an AS400 app (5250 emulation) back in the states. Is anyone aware of a decent ISP in those regions? If I cant get a reliable ISP (and therefore a solid VPN connection), what are my other choices? Should I check out VSAT?"
Tell em you need the Internet connection for some porn. The nice GIs will share what they value.
"Give orange me give eat orange me eat orange give me eat orange give me you." -Nim Chimpsky
The only people in Iraq with reliable communications are the Provisional Authority, US Army and contractors associated with both.
Hook up with them somehow. You're going to have alot of problems running a VPN over satellite. The military is pre-empting transponders to control RAVs and such, so the link will not be reliable.
Now that you've BROADCASTED your goal for a private connection between iraq / States, you have pretty much screwed yourself.
:)
Homeland security is tapping your phonelines as I type
OR... if you work for homeland security, man were you a waste of budget if you can't set up a VPN.
Anyways now that the rant is over... your best option is too use some kind of satellite based internet connection. Or a cellmodem which has reliable connectivity in iraq, but dials into a long distance number to an ISP that works... of course if the long distance charges are super high, you might as well have him dial directly into a phone line/modem at your location and you don't need to use the internet at all. It really depends on what you want to use the connection for, but I have to assume dialup is no good.. as you need all three to be dedicated.
however, a cheaper solution is a regular satalite ISP (where the return channel is by modem).
With most European SAT ISP's will have coverage in most of the Middle Eaest. (I've worked with some from Israel)
One problen with VSAT/SAT is that the link latancy and BER are mutch higher then for a land link. (which might or might not bother your app depending on what you do)
As of Postgres v6.2, time travel is no longer supported.
The military is using VSAT through an ISP called Segovia for all of our Morale, Welfare and Recreation (MWR) internet cafes. Depending on the setup we're getting between 1 and 2 Mbs down and 128-256 kbs up.
Service is fair. You'll see probably two to four outages per month that last anywhere from an hour to 12 hours. Ensure your site has some means of calling back to the states to troubleshoot the link. Expect to be on hold for a while if you call during EST business hours. You'll find out quickly which of the 10-12 "NOC Techicians" aren't just reading from a script. Normally, they just have to re-route your traffic to a different place in Europe. They're probably having major growing pains: We've got over 200 of these sites across Iraq and Kuwait.
Have you looked into this?
and what the heck is wrong with asking on the proper channels like nanog, then getting hit by millions of sales droids???? :-)
Do you really need a VPN ?
My company sells >flame-proof-suit<an expensive Windows-only 5250 terminal emulator >/flame-proof-suit< with built-in support for SSL.
Install stunnel at the AS400 site.
...and then I realize, I answered a different question than you asked. Drat. All of that would be obvious if you had TCP/IP to begin with - that's the part you're missing.
:)
OK, if anyone else wants to provide a solution: all he really needs is TCP/IP. His 400 doesn't need anything special on top of that (since the advice I gave is probably obvious to him), so any ISP solution should work.
And I apparently don't know how to read a question before answering. Yay.
Use IOL (Iraq Online). Sign up today and get 15,000,000 free hours.
I'd be a bit careful on your creation of this VPN. Last I checked, Iraq isn't one of the countries that the US allows exportation of high-encryption, and the establishment of a secure (encrypted) vpn connection between the states and iraq will certianly raise a few eyebrows.
They are interesting to follow. One fellow is leaving because he can't stand the cultural divide and just feels too out of place. Some love the place and are enjoying their stay either as an adventure or just because they like the place.
Find some people already there. You may get a good reply here, but there are plenty of people who have already done what you're needing. In fact, at least one group is putting up wireless nodes at the cell towers.
--
Evan
"$30 for the One True Ring. $10 each additional ring!" -- JRR "Bob" Tolkien
Then there was that "awe and shock" thing.