Confused about IPSec and VPN

[qbakies11]

I need to connect to a remote network over the internet but am having a rough time figuring out how to get the P2P VPN setup on my PIX because of my current configuration. In trying to find an alternative I have found articles about using IPSec on a router to connect to a remote network across the internet. Is this IPSec with a router the same as P2P VPN with a PIX?

[brettmilborrow]

IPSec is a security protocol and a standard and therefore is the same on a Cisco router as it is on a PIX. This allows you connect an IPSec vpn between a PIX and a router, or a PIX and a firewall from another vendor.

VPN - a network which uses the public network to transfer information using secure methods.

IPSEC - the protocol that provides the security for VPN's.

Hope this helps!

[qbakies11]

So then by this wording I could use my 2811 router and IPSec to connect to a remote location even if the other location was using something other than a PIX?

[brettmilborrow]

Yes, provided that the device you are using at the remote site supports IPSec VPN...

[qbakies11]

I almost had it there but your wording confused me again. When you say:

"supports IPSec VPN..."

Can a device support IPSec but not allow VPN? I thought that if could use IPSec you could make a connection.