AlmostVPN

Donationware

Current Version: 1.5.3 (October 1, 2007)

AlmostVPN is an SSH tunnel management application "with a twist," as the authors like to say. AlmostVPN provides simple to use alternative to "real" VPN. It allows you to gain access to computers and services on your private network via single, secure SSH connection. Differentiating features include:

• It is packaged as Preference Panel, so you do not have to a standalone application to configure SSH tunnels.
• It employs launchd to control tunnels, so you do not have to have yet another application running while tunneling.
• 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 via SSH tunnel.
• It can import tunnel definitions from SSH Tunnel Manager and SSHKeychain applications.

Version 1.5.3 adds/changes the following from version 1.5.2:

1. AlmostVPN was ignoring "Ask for password" option if SSHD server was configured to do "password" based authentication (as opposite to "keyboard-interactive")
2. Under some conditions Quick Configuration used to "dump" some passwords into System log file

AlmostVPN requires Mac OS X 10.4.x or better.

DigiTunnel

Commercial; $58

Current Version: 1.4.4 (March 23, 2006) / 1.5 (April 13, 2009)

Gracion Software (formerly One Click Systems) produces the DigiTunnel PPTP VPN (Virtual Private Network) client for Mac OS X, compatible with Windows 2000, WatchGuard, Nortel, OS X Server 1.2 and other VPN servers.

Version 1.4.4 - the latest version for Mac OS X 10.2 and later - adds/changes the following:

• Universal binary build - runs on PowerPC- and Intel-based Macs.
• Fixed case where DigiTunnel won't operate if Application Support/DigiTunnel folder was replaced by dragging or backup software.
• Special characters (&ccdeil;, §, etc.) in passwords could result in failed login.
• Localized in French
• Fixes installer problems on Mac OS X 10.3, and there is also a cosmetic fix to the uninstaller, primarily for Intel Macs.

Version 1.5 - the latest version for Mac OS X 10.3.9 and later - adds/changes the following:

• Does not change your Mac's default route when connecting.
• Configuration changes to accommodate Entourage.
• No longer switches primary network service in split-routing mode.
• Fixed PPTP expired password change on Intel Macs.
• Fixed minor NSAutoreleasePool leaks.
• Setup Assistant universal binary.

DynDNS Updater

Freeware

Current Version: 2.3 (June 16, 2008)

Written specifically for Mac OS X, and working in conjunction with the Dynamic DNS system at www.dyndns.org, DNSUpdate allows your computer to have a consistent domain name every time you connect to your ISP.

Version 2.0 - which was the first new release in over two years - introduced the following major enhancements:

• Version 2.0 of the DynDNS Updater for Mac OS X is the result of months of development. It features a whole-new interface for a more fluid workflow, new notification options and a more flexible backend for the tightest possible integration with all DynDNS.com services.
• From the installation process to the daily monitoring of your accounts, this new version integrates better with Mac OS X, is faster and more reliable. Extensive backend changes also pave the way for exciting future developments that we cannot wait to share with you.
• Corporate administrators will love the new secure auto-updating feature. Home users will appreciate the redesigned Dashboard widget for quick checks. Finally, users in mixed environments will be happy to hear the application runs natively on both PowerPC and Intel machines.
• Developers working on the next insanely great Mac application can also install this release on the latest Leopard beta without fear.

Version 2.3 brings the following additional changes:

• Fixed bug where a host or account could be set inactive if an error occurred while updating hosts.
• Fixed a bug where a host could potentially not update if the IP changed while the daemon isn't running.
• Fixed the Check IP update URL.
• A few minor text changes to make error messages more descriptive.
• Made the interface IP checking code a bit more robust.

InterGate

Commercial; see text.

Current Version: 9.2.4 (December 9, 2008)

Vicomsoft produces InterGate (formerly Internet Gateway, and superseding Vicomsoft's SurfDoubler product), which allows multiple computers connected via a simple network connection to share a single Internet connection.

Pricing starts at $99 for a 5-user license, and tops out at $2,599 for a 2,000 user license.

Version 9.2.4 adds/changes the following:

• Enhanced, Leopard-themed User Interface
• Improved compatibility with Mac OS X 10.5
• Improved compatibility with Intel-based Macs
• Improved resilience and reliability of DNS server
• Improved Connection Teaming support
• Overall stability and reliability fixes

IPSecuritas

Freeware

Current Version: 2.2 (October 4, 2006) / 3.2 (January 2, 2009)

Mac OS X includes everything you need to secure your communications using IPSec. Unfortunately, it's not as easy to use as it should be. IPSecuritas is a handy piece of freeware that lets you easily setup IPSec VPN connections to another host or network over the Internet, securing your data with encryption and authentication. IPSecuritas adds a graphical front-end to the built-in IPSec core, allowing you to setup secure communications within minutes. IPSecuritas interoperates with a large and daily growing number of VPN devices, including devices from popular manufacturers such as Cisco, Zyxel, Netgear and more.

Version 3.2 - the latest version for Mac OS X 10.3 or later - contains the following new functions:

• Per connection statistics (menu Windows -> Statistics and menu bar item)
• XAuth/Hybrid username and password query at start of IPSec (e.g. for SecureID)
• More verbose log output in certain error situations
• New option to suppress address conflict check (use with care).
• Connections in error can now be restarted without interrupting other connections
• Support for XAuth RSA
• Added statistics window to menu bar item
• Added log window to menu bar item
• MTU of connecting interfaces can be decreased to address fragmentation problems
• No more connection attempts are taken after a XAuth failure
• Outgoing traffic is no longer routed through VM machine virtual interfaces (Parallels, VMWare)
• Added backup and restore connection database functions
• Additional connection wizard templates
• Removed binding of configuration database to specific machine
• Fix: Problems with password field in import/export of connections and certificates
• Fix: Certificate without private key can no longer be exported in PKCS#12 format
• Fix: Sanity check of import/export options for certificates
• Fix: Signed certificate are now correctly assigned to their original requests
• Fix: Import of 2.x connections recognises connection mode correctly
• Fix: Connection surveillance now works reliably
• Fix: Removed 'inappropriate ... message received' log message because it was misleading
• Fix: Deleting the first of multiple local or remote addresses no longer corrupts the connection
• Fix: Parallels virtual adapters are no longer used to connect to remote hosts
• Fix: Disabled smart environment detection at startup
• Fix: Improved environment detection delay
• Fix: Reset statistics at stop of IPSec
• Fix: Warning appears now when attempting to overwrite a file

IPSecuritas 2.2 remains available for Mac OS X 10.2 or higher.

No-IP

Freeware

Current Version: 3.0 (November 8, 2003) / 3.1.2a (Ocotber 30, 2007)

Similar to DynDNS Updater, but working in conjunction with the No-IP system at www.no-ip.com, No-IP allows your computer to have a consistent domain name every time you connect to your ISP.

No-IP includes two components:

• No-IP.com Update Client (Installed into: /Applications) - This graphical application is used to perform instant and scheduled updates to your No-IP hosts. It is also used to configure the UNIX Background Daemon.
• UNIX Background Daemon (Installed at: /usr/local/bin/noip2) - This faceless program can be configured to run in the background as a system service. It will automatically update the No-IP servers whenever your IP address changes.

Unlike DynDNS Updater, No-IP is not a Universal Binary, but it is available for "Classic" Mac OS.

PiePants

See text.

Current Version: 1.0.0b3 (April 7, 2002)

PiePants is a PPTP client for Mac OS X. It supports encrypted communications for secure connections to your PPTP VPN. PiePants only supports a single PPTP connection at a time. Version 1.0.0b3 addresses the following:

• Fixed a problem with a case-sensitive comparison of authentication data.

The author notes: "I haven't yet decided exactly how I'm going to license PiePants, but most likely it will be as pay-if-you-like shareware for a small fee (say, $25). On the other hand, it appears from the Darwin CVS tree that there may be a PPTP client in the OS before too long, which would probably make PiePants obsolete. So who knows -- maybe I'll make it free, or open source it. I'd appreciate feedback from folks on whether or not they'd pay for it. For now, there are no limitations in the beta -- please use it and give me feedback, but please understand that this is sort of a side project for me and I may have some trouble providing quick support if you run into a problem."

PortReflector

Shareware; $10

Current Version: 1.2.1 (August 22, 2002)

PortReflector allows Mac OS X Classic applications to access the Internet using Mac OS X's native PPP connection. PortReflector is designed to accept TCP connections on a configured port and reflect them to another host or port number. This type of functionality allows Classic applications to communicate with the internet via Mac OS X's PPP connection. PortReflector is $10, shareware. Version 1.2.1 adds/changes the following:

• Fixed incompatibility with Mac OS X 10.2.

PPP Genie

Shareware; $12.95

Current Version: 1.1.1 (January 9, 2003)

PPP Genie is Mac OS X utility for controlling and monitoring your PPP connection. It allows you to easily open and close your connection, and keep track of the time and money you are spending online, either in a floating window or in your menu bar. It supports PPPoE and multiple configurations. Version 1.1.1 adds/changes the following:

• Fixes bug introduced in v1.1.0 which could cause PPP Genie to misread and corrupt the user's registration code, causing PPP Genie to behave as though the user had not registered (unfortunately, registered users must re-enter their registration code)

PPP Genie 1.1.1 has been tested and should be fully compatible with Mac OS X 10.3, "Panther."

Shimo

Shareware; €12.95

Current Version: 2.1.1 (April 17, 2009)

Shimo is an inexpensive VPN client for the Mac. Features include:

• Supports Multiple Services (Cisco, OpenVPN, IPSec, PPTP, L2TP, SSH...)
• Advanced Notification System (growl, AppleScript, Speech...)
• Secure Storage of Passwords in Apple's Keychain
• Automatic (Re-)Connection on Wakeup, Network-Changes, etc.
• Global Shortcuts for fast Connection/Disconnection

Version 2.1.1 adds/changes the following:

• Fixed bug in French localization
• Fixed minor bug in SSH connections

Tango Access

Commercial; see site.

Current Version: 1.3 (February 20, 2004)

Siemens Subscriber Networks, Inc. (formerly Network TeleSystems and Efficient Networks) produces the Tango Access (formerly TunnelBuilder) secure remote access client that creates encrypted tunnels over the Internet using the Point-to-Point Tunneling Protocol (PPTP).

Tango Access version 1.3 will now support the new Mac OS X release, version 10.1.4 and higher, through its Installer component. The Tango Access Installer will prompt for a username and password, which it will configure in the Mac OS Remote Access configuration. You can then use the Mac OS native PPPoE component to make your connection. The Tango Access application is not installed on OS X. Future releases of Tango Access will inclue the Tango Access application, communicating over the Mac OS native PPPoE component. Tango Access for Mac supports all current versions of Mac OS starting 8.5 to the current 9.2.x releases.

Tango Access for Mac OS is available for purchase only in quantities of 1000 copies or more.

See the Tango Access for Mac FAQ for more information.

TunnelMate

Commercial

Current Version: 1.2

Powerlan USA, Inc. produces the TunnelMate SSH tunnel and client software for Mac OS X (Carbon). TunnelMate seamlessly integrates Secure Shell communications with products such as Powerlan's X Server product, WebTerm X and Powerlan's Terminal Emulator, WebTerm. The primary design goal of TunnelMate is to provide "full-service" Secure Shell communications without requiring users to run a separate shell application, as is necessary in other security solutions. TunnelMate may also be run as a stand-alone product, providing a Secure Shell console.

Vapor

Current Version: 1.1 (July 15, 2002)

From the Vapor home page: "Vapor is an innovative new application from Joel Rennich, co-founder of AFP548.com. Vapor harnesses the power of SSH to provide secure, encrypted VPN connections for AppleShare, WWW, Server Admin and other Internet services." Version 1.1, released 15 July 2002, offers improved error checking, the ability to create reverse SSH tunnels, and an improved user interface.

On October 6, 2002, the author released the source code into the public domain.

Viscosity

Shareware; $9

Current Version: 1.0.5 (JUne 24, 2009)

From the Viscosity web site: "Viscosity is an OpenVPN client for the Mac, providing a rich Cocoa graphical user interface for creating, editing, and controlling VPN connections. Viscosity provides a complete OpenVPN solution for Leopard (Mac OS 10.5) and does not require any additional downloads or software."

Viscosity includes the following distinguishing features:

• Cocoa Interface - Viscosity allows connections to be completely configured through a GUI, without any need to know how to use the command-line or OpenVPN's configuration file syntax.
• Leopard Support - Viscosity has been designed from the ground up for Leopard. Viscosity will run on any PowerPC or Intel Mac running Mac OS 10.5.
• Traffic Statistics - Viscosity monitors your OpenVPN connections to ensure you know all the details. The floating Details window will keep you up to date with IP addresses, traffic flow, and OpenVPN messages.
• Keychain Protected - Viscosity integrates with the Mac OS X keychain to make sure your VPN login details, certificate passwords, and proxy logins and kept safe and secure.
• Growl Notifications - Viscosity is built with Growl support to keep you notified about your VPN connection. Get alerts when the status of a VPN connection changes, including IP addresses.
• Automatic Updates - Viscosity integrates with Sparkle to provide seamless update checking and installing so you don't have to. And if you don't like update checking, it can be turned off with one tick.
• Enterprise Support - Easily pre-configure Viscosity so your users don't have to. Viscosity can be set up to automatically create VPN connections on first launch so users are good to go no matter their VPN knowledge.
• Also includes AppleScript control, DNS support, configuration importing, and much more.

Version 1.0.5 adds/changes the following:

• French localization
• Russian localization
• Multiple remote servers can now be specified using the GUI
• Bug fixed where incorrect keychain details may not be automatically reset
• Bug fixed where DNS may cause a connection attempt to fail
• Mac OS 10.6 support added
• Various bug fixes and enhancements

VPN Tracker

Commercial; see site.

Current Version: Client: 5.4.2 (April 29, 2009) / Server: 1.0.4 (November 1, 2005)

Equinux USA Inc. produces VPN Tracker, a tool for IPsec networking that helps you connect to VPN hardware and software with Mac OS X. The software is available for purchase in both "Professional" and "Personal" editions.

Version 5.4.2 adds/changes the following:

• New documentation and device profiles for DrayTek Vigor2110, Vigor2700, Vigor2710, Vigor2800, Vigor2820, Vigor2910, Vigor2930, Vigor2950, Vigor3100, VigorPro 5300, VigorPro 5500, VigorPro 5510 Series
• New documentation and device profiles for Juniper Networks SSG, NetScreen, and ISG Series
• Added an error message when the VPN gateway is configured to use Aggressive Mode, but VPN Tracker has Main Mode configured
• Added a workaround for some ZyWALL devices that prematurely switch network ports when performing NAT-Traversal
• Fixed local identifier type for SonicOS Standard device profiles
• Added a warning message when exporting a connection that requires a Professional Edition license to work
• Added a warning message when importing a connection into Personal or Player Edition if the connection uses features that are available only in VPN Tracker Professional Edition
• Fixed an issue with storing XAUTH credentials with some rare VPN gateway configurations that send the XAUTH request in two parts

The demo mode is equivalent to the licensed Professional Edition, so some of the features (such as high-level encryption) will not be available in the Personal edition. A complete comparison of both editions is available. The demo is valid for 30 days, and connections will time out after 3 minutes.

VPN Tracker Server is also available, allowing remote access for external users; home or branch offices are able to connect securely to the office using VPN Tracker Client.