[tedunangst]

ssh -D: socks proxy. only works with some apps. tunnels at the "data stream" level.

ssh vpn: tunnels all packets at the "network" level. bad because running TCP over TCP can have erratic performance. good because it covers all traffic.

openvpn: tunnels using UDP, so you don't have the TCP on TCP problems. it's just more work to set up than ssh vpn, but still probably easier than full blown ipsec.

[apenwarr]

My sshuttle project is the best of both worlds between ssh -D and an ssh vpn. http://github.com/apenwarr/sshuttle/