Existing users, 
 AlmostVPN - 1.6 preSSH tunnel manager with a twist |
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Information Related to Version:
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Product Description:
AlmostVPN is an ssh tunnel manager for Mac OS X with a twist. This is what makes AlmostVPN different:
- it packaged as Preference Panel, so you do not have to use yet another application to configure your tunnels
- it uses creative network configuration techniques to provide almost VPN like access to remote services, so you can keep using real IP addresses and port numbers while accessing service on the other side of your tunnels.
- it provides simple way to
- ... mount remote volumes
- ... use your remote printers and faxes
- ... access you iTunes, iPhoto and almost any other Bonjour based application
- ... upload/download/execute files (with support for console and X11 based applications)
- ... use your favorite remote access application (VNC, ARD, RDC or just good old shell )
- it is scriptable, so you can start/stop your profiles exactly when you need it
- it can import tunnel definitions from SSH Tunnel Manager, SSHKeychain, SSH Agent and JellyfiSSH
What's new in this version:
This is "Getting ready for release of Leopard" version.
What was Fixed
What was Fixed
- It works again with latest version of Leopard.
- AlmostVPN used to break if path to user home contained " " (space).
- Due to the change in the way OS handles "StartupItems", it is necessary to re-boot system after you installed AlmostVPN.
Operating System Requirements:
This product is designed to run on the following operating systems:
- Mac OS X 10.5 Intel
- Mac OS X 10.5 PPC
- Mac OS X 10.4 Intel
- Mac OS X 10.4 PPC
Additional Requirements:
- Mac OS X 10.4 PPC
- Mac OS X 10.3.9
- Mac OS X 10.4 Intel
- Mac OS X 10.0
- Mac OS X 10.1
- Mac OS X 10.5 PPC
- Mac OS X 10.2
- Mac OS X 10.5 Intel
- Mac OS X 10.3
- Mac OS Classic
Screenshots:
Download Links:
Download AlmostVPN Now (File Size: 4.9M)
Your Installed Versions:
Feedback Summary:
| This Version: | |||||
| Overall Rating: | Not rated (0.0) | Features: | Not rated (0.0) | Support: | Not rated (0.0) |
| Ease of Use: | Not rated (0.0) | Quality / Stability: | Not rated (0.0) | Price: | Not rated (0.0) |
Key to Types of Feedback:
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Featured Reviews
More complicated than doing it via CLI 
- Version: 1.6 pre, 8/11/2008 11:00PM PST
mikirby
Most Recent Replies: View All 1 Replies
- BTW: SSH volume mounting is easier with MacFusion
Extremely valuable utility - Version: 1.5.3, 6/18/2008 07:19AM PST
(1 of 1 users found this comment useful)
Kilohoku
Even though I do know how to do this by hand, and would have no trouble doing any of the operations done by AlmostVPN manually, I still use this every day and find it invaluable, especially when traveling. By patiently reading the documentation (which does exist, despite the previous comment), I have set it up so that anywhere I go, I can have essentially the same connectivity to file servers, mail sending and receiving functionality, and secure access even to unsecured POP servers, etc., by connecting via ssh to accounts on the opposite side of whatever firewalls I happen to encounter. The true value of this utility is in making multiple such connections fast, and the extra handy capability to work seamlessly with mail servers without having to change port numbers, etc., is a true bonus.
Usage hint: Remember to shut down your almostVPN connections before sleeping your computer or moving to a new destination. If you forget to do this, sometimes it is necessary to cycle the almostVPN server off and on a couple of times to clear stray old connections when you start it back up in the new location.
Caveat: I haven't used this with Leopard yet, but am looking forward to doing so. It has worked perfectly for me for nearly 2 years on Tiger, modulo the above usage hint. Any comments from Leopard users?
Usage hint: Remember to shut down your almostVPN connections before sleeping your computer or moving to a new destination. If you forget to do this, sometimes it is necessary to cycle the almostVPN server off and on a couple of times to clear stray old connections when you start it back up in the new location.
Caveat: I haven't used this with Leopard yet, but am looking forward to doing so. It has worked perfectly for me for nearly 2 years on Tiger, modulo the above usage hint. Any comments from Leopard users?
Too little documentation to use - Version: 1.6 pre, 11/21/2007 08:44AM PST
(0 of 1 users found this comment useful)
maurer
If you can figure out how to use this package with the negligible documentation provided, then you probably don't need to buy it because you will know enough to set up freeware equivalents or use Terminal. If you need even rudimentary instruction, then this is not likely to of use because it comes with virtually no instructions. The documentation is so minimal that it doesn't even explain the limitations of the demo mode.
True, once you've puzzled out the unorthodox interface, you can start all your needed ssh services with a click of a button** (**once you wrap your mind around the local client process being called "AVPN Server".) But the same thing is true if you use the freeware CLIX to set up a terminal command to do it, or one of several other free, lightweight utilities. And believe me, if you don't already know how to set up a terminal SSH command to to what you need to do, you're not going to be able to figure out how to get this app to do it.
It's a shame, because the programmer obviously put a lot of work and care into this and the basic idea is powerful. But this is a case of a solution being much more complicated than the problem it's supposed to solve.