If you use Microsoft's built-in VPN with the PPTP protocol you probably experience occasional problems where the VPN stops working. You need TunnelRat. TunnelRat installs and runs in the tray area of your Windows XP system. It sends a packet through your VPN tunnel periodically. If the packet does not transmit sucessfully, This program goes a step beyond the built-in reconnect capability that is included with Windows XP. The built in functionality only reconnects the VPN if it drops the connection. TunnelRat will reconnect it if traffic cannot be transmitted, even if the VPN did not drop. Tunnelrat is very easy to install and it automatically configures itself. In addition to monitoring your VPN, TunnelRat can automatically start your VPN for you when you login to Windows XP. Abolutely Free, no expiration, no upgrade, no ads. This program was developed to solve a specific problem and then shared. We also recommend Rhinoback Online Backup to protect your data from accidental loss or disaster. Your data is automatically backed up and moved offsite. See www.rhinoback.com.