Flexible automated connection to virtual private networks

A method practiced at a network interface unit (NIU) for communicating data packets over a non-secure network between client devices on at least one local area networl (LAN) and at least one access node of a secure virtual private network (VPN), the method comprising

• receiving data packets from said devices by way of said LANs,
• multiplexing said data packets into at least one packet data stream,
• modifying said packet data streams in a security server in accordance with a secure communications protocol by encrypting packets in said data streams and encapsulating resulting encrypted packets,
• providing network destination address information from a DNS server for at least selected ones of said data streams.

A method for securely communicating data packets over a non-secure network between client devices on a local area network (LAN) and a secure network, the method performed at a network interface unit (NIU) appearing as a device on said LAN, the method comprising

• (1) authenticating at least one of said client devices seeking to access said secure network, thereby establishing at least one authenticated client device,
• (2) sending configuration information from a configuration server in said NIU to at least one of said at least one authenticated client device, thereby establishing at least one configured client device,
• (3) in response to a request from at least one configured client device to connect to said secure network, providing destination address resolution information from a Domain Name System (DNS) server in said NIU,
• (4) establishing a secure VPN connection between said at least one configured client device and an access node at an address provided by said DNS server, said secure VPN connection using a security server in said NIU.