Is Splashtop better than VPN?

Totally depends on what is being accessed. If they're connecting to VPN and ONLY doing DNS, then VPN is better. If they're doing any additional web browsing, doing file access, then the latency of file access and additional bandwidth of Internet traffic through the Hughes.net and VPN would push towards thinking Splashtop is better.

In general though, remote control protocols are more efficient. You could run a single RDP connection back in the day over 56 kbps connections. Larger displays and higher display bit depth increases bandwidth, but you need very little upload speed, and downloads shouldn't be that significant.

From a security standpoint, I would take something like Splashtop over even corporate managed device with VPN.

Owenmpk wrote:

I have been using VPN for years at my office and at clients and over all very happy with it. I have client that wants one employee use their personal computer to connect to the office.

Bojan Zajc wrote:

Owenmpk wrote:

I have been using VPN for years at my office and at clients and over all very happy with it. I have client that wants one employee use their personal computer to connect to the office.

This is a bit confusing.

You are using VPN for years, but than you are against VPN?

Probably you meant Lan-2-Lan VPN vs. Client-2-Lan VPN?

Well, there is actually no big difference in the 'security' / protection from malware. Even on a Lan-2-Lan VPN you don't know, what kind of protective tools are used on the remote network - if any.

However, you can pretty much limit the allowed ports on any kind of VPN connection. When you don't allow SMB file sharing and enforce SFTP instead, you are already protected against most of the self-spreading malware out there.

In addition, many vendors offer some kind of advanced malware protection enforcement for VPN clients. In this case, a client wouldn't be able to connect, if he has not installed and enabled some kind of endpoint protection or AV software. In such a case, this client would be even a safer one, than any of the Lan-2-Lan connected ones.

Connecting individual client computers via VPN is today something completely normal. For sure, there is some risk attached to it, but it's not a completely uncontrollable risk.

sorry i was not more clear, my question is not a security question but a question if folks think / know if VPN used more band width than Splashtop. I know that it will vary a bit depending on types of files used. This is client 2 LAN VPN and using IPsec VPN.

Issue a corporate laptop/desktop with connection to the AD for group policies. Use remote tools to maintain Endpoint Security updates if needed or use a product that is designed to be managed remotely and or by tools in the cloud for remote devices if needed.

Sleep well at night knowing this satellite user (no pun intended) is still a protected spoke in your secure network because of corporate control devices, enforced policies, and security.

Piece of mind and network security for the company make it worth the extra money in setting up.

Now lets talk about beer as a corporate incentive for employees to improve their productivity... AN after hours incentive. I think this idea has legs....