VPN vs File Sharing, XP Pro, SP3
 

I have a home network behind a router with cable internet. I am working with
a group of folks and the file sizes we need to exchange exceed the file sizes
on free web file sites.

I have done portforwarding and have dyndns domain to handle ip changes with
my router configured to update my dyndns domain if my ip changes.

I have been lookng into ultraVNC and a few other flavors of VNC, simple file
sharing and SShell to just set up a local volume inside of my router for us
to have a filespace. I have been looking into various newsgroups, doing
searches on MS, and I've read a bunch of summaries and guides on info I
already know on how to set up filesharing and permissions: however, I have
not got a clear picture on the best direction to take.

Seems from what I've read that I my best course for just pushing files back
and forth is just to use simple file sharing on a drive I have available and
restrict the users on that drive.

Now for some maybe obvious questions:
Can I create a workgroup for the others to join that would just be able to
access the common drive on my PC?
Would I need to use SSH to have the data connection encrypted or secure?