Help a fireman

[RGraze]

I have a question for you. My problem is at station 1 we have a cable modem, router, hub and firehouse software for entering reports. Station 2 we have nothing. The question is if we get a cable modem at sta 2 is there a way to link sta 1 to sta 2 via internet to use the firehouse software? Station 1 is the main station so all report info is kept here. Thanks for your help.

[Sterling_Aug]

How far apart are the two stations?

It depends on what you want to do and what equipment you already have as to how much all this will cost.

[DougM]

The typical way to do this would be using VPN (Virtual Private Network) software.

A VPN can let you connect to a remote computer over the internet. Typically the VPN handles authentication and encryption so that only you are able to make the connection and it is private.

[Rainsford1]

I agree with DougM. The way you want to go is with a VPN. The only addition that I would make to that, due to the nature of the information you are working with, would be to add a decent hardware firewall to Station 1's configuration.

There are several very nice, and pretty affordable devices out there. My personal preferences would start with a 3com Office Connect (either the internet 25, or 100 user which also has a DMZ port but may be overkill for your solution), and then a SonicWall SOHO.

Each of them use pretty much the same VPN client, and the configuration, although pretty tedious and time consuming, isn't too bad to perform, and the security these provide is really highspeed.

[BipolarBill]

The software must also be network-capable. If it's single-instance and is 32-bit, you may not be able to use it remotely.

[Bullet-Man-2]

I would just go with wireless 802.11b. You can buy a antenna with 3 mile range (strait down, do you would have to get a good direct aim at station 2's reciver) Then you would need another antenna at station 2 to send back to station 1. You get the point.

It will cost around 400 bucks if your only 5 miles apart. It's kinda secure, you can give some passwords or something, but in general that would be the most logical I would think way to set it up.

Of just ask your ISP or who ever to see if they can do soemthing about it.