How to setup your IT Infrastructure for Work From Home in low cost with open source secure industry standard technologies.
Here I am going to talk about talk about small and medium size offices and companies who are not able to invest big amount to upgrade or migrate there IT infrastructure for there workers to work from home in the COVID pandemic .
There are few things mostly you are using in the office as IT infrastructure as end user. if that IT infrastructure is available at your home then mostly people can work from home easily.
I am taking a small office example scenario with 30 employees which you require to work from home.
Simple small office network diagram .
Now what you require to work from home
1- You require office network and your office computer .
2- You require your telephone extension and there calling features.
Now I will cover all topics and there easy and low cost solutions .
1- You require office network and your office computer .
How to access office network from home or anywhere over the internet.
You can access your office network through VPN Connection Connecting to your office VPN Server .
What VPN Server you can use
PPTP VPN All Windows and Linux Servers are having PPTP VPN Server feature.
Most of the routers supports PPTP VPN Clients just google on internet .
Supported Devices . Windows ,Linux ,Android Phone , Apple , iPhone and many more.
All windows and Linux operating system support PPTP Client just configure PPTP VPN Connection .
OPEN VPN 
Open VPN is most reliable and used VPN application . its Open Source and more secure.
You can install on Windows or Linux Server and customize according to your requirement.
This is little bit complicated setup but very good. Here is How to install openvpn Guide
Supported Devices . Windows ,Linux ,Android Phone , Apple , iPhone and many more.
Mikrotik routers are low cost with many features and stable manageable device.
Mikrotik Router is Cheap and best for small offices in low budget with too many features.
1- PPTP VPN ,L2TP, OpenVPN server ,OpenVPN Client ,SSL VPN , etc.
2- Bandwidth management
3- Firewall
4-Routing RIP , BGP ,OSPF
5- Monitoring and alerts and many more .
Solution No 1.
1- You Installed and configured Microsoft PPTP VPN Server / OpenVPN Server
2- Create PPTP Logins for users or Generate Certificates for OpenVPN Clients for users
3- Port Forward for VPN Server from your router to VPN Server for PPTP or OpenVPN Client
Now If you don’t have static Public IP then use DynDNS or other free DNS services which will update your IP address to the clients.
Solution No 2.
Replace your Internet Router with Mikrotik Router .
1- Replace your internet router with mikrotik router.
2- Configure VPN Server as your requirement .
Solution No 3.
If you Don’t have any Public IP static or Dynamic just take a VPS in Cloud Install OpenVPN Server and configure your Office Mikrotik Router as OpenVPN Client and your office will be treated as as Branch Office .
Now your remote user will be connected to OpenVPN server in the Cloud and access the office servers and network.
2- You require your telephone extension and there calling features.
Now you want to give office extensions to the user working from home so they can receive call and make calls to other users . Now you require a PBX which can work on IP . to solve this issue you can have IP PBX .There are multiple brands are coming in the market Grandstream , Dinstar , and many more in low cost with many features.
Now if you don’t have much budget you can go for Opensource IP PBX FreePBX ISSABEL Asterisk and many more applications are there .
Solution No 1.
1- Install IP PBX Server as you like the flavor for example freepbx Issabel Asterisk etc. If you have budget install IP PBX Appliance as Grandstream UCM , Dinstar UCM etc. How to install Issabel guide
2- Install FXO Gateway which will interconnect your old Analog PBX with new IP PBX. Insert PBX extensions lines to FXO Gateway .It will give you facility to call from old PBX to your IP PBX and IP PBX to old Analog PBX and also out going calls using old PBX lines.
3- Create SIP accounts for users
4- Users can use Desktop IP Phones and Soft Phone on there laptops desktops and mobiles .it can be connected over the VPN or direct on public IP if you have port forwarded to the IP PBX .
Solution No 2.
If you don’t have Public IP then get a IP PBX in Cloud and use FXO Gateway or GSM Gateway and FXS Gateway .
1- Install IP PBX in the Cloud
2- Install FXO Gateway in the office and connect your some extensions to the FXO ports . it will interconnect you IP PBX and your old PBX.
3- When people want to call from old PBX Extensions to New IP PBX Extensions they will just call their local extensions which you have connected to FXO Port on the FXO Gateway and call will be routed to the IP PBX and when your IP PBX extension user want to call old PBX extension the can directly call old PBX numbers .
4- The Best Scenario will be if you can change your old PBX with FXS Gateways and put your Telephone Lines in the FXO Gateway . It will be easy to manage and seamless communication .and it provide IP PBX Features for your old PBX extensions .
Free available soft phones for IP PBX .
Zoiper
X-Lite SoftPhone
If some looking for to setup work from home setup send me a email:- gkhan @ kingstonits. com
Your queries are also welcome