Patent ID: 7827278

Claim:
A network interface unit for communicating data packets over one or more non-secure networks between one or more client devices associated with one or more local area networks (LAN) and a secure virtual private network (VPN) node, comprising: means for authenticating the one or more client devices for access to the secure VPN node, a graphical user interface server for presenting an authentication menu to the one or more client devices, wherein, when a first one of the client devices is incompatible with the authentication menu, the authentication means is to authenticate the first client device in response to an authentication of a second one of the client devices via the authentication menu, the second client device being compatible with the authentication menu; means for receiving a menu selection from the second client device, the selection corresponding to a connection profile associated with a first type of connection; means for accessing the one or more non-secure networks using information associated with the selection; and a security server for establishing a secure communication over the non-secure network between the LAN and the secure VPN node.