(tun´&l-ing)
(n.) A technology that enables one
network to send its data via another network's connections. Tunneling works by encapsulating a network
protocol within
packets carried by the second network. For example, Microsoft's
PPTP technology enables organizations to use the
Internet to transmit data across a
VPN. It does this by embedding its own network protocol within the
TCP/IP packets carried by the Internet.
Tunneling is also called encapsulation.