Which address does a VPN user show

[Julia Schult]

When a user dials up a local ISP, and then uses that
connection to log on to a VPN (Virtual Private Network), and
then goes to a site on the Internet, does the Internet site
see the IP address of the local ISP or that of the VPN?

The answer is probably "depends"; does it depend on how the
VPN is set up both in terms of default route and where the
VPN server is in relation to the firewall?

In real terms:

We are trying to solve the remote database access problem,
and are wondering if our campus VPN will do that.  Can we
set it up so that users can access our IP-authenticated
databases from home by logging on to our campus VPN?  Or
would we still have to set up a proxy server?  Could they do
it if they ran Netscape on a campus server, instead of on
their home machine, and what cans of worms would that open?

---Julia E. Schult
Access/Electronic Services Librarian
Elmira College
Jschult at elmira.edu