How to set up a VPN

Hi

I am sure that this question has been answered somewhere but there are so many results for a search on VPN that I am going to ask again. Hope this is ok.  I am a complete newbie when it comes to VPN and anything networking pretty much does my head in so please bare with me!

I have two locations. The main office where all the files are held on a fairly powerful Desktop computer running Windows XP Pro and a second location with a computer also running Windows XP pro who will want to access the files on the main office computer.  The office is connected to the internet via a Draytek 2600VG router.  I don't have a fixed IP address.  Broadband in my area is only 2meg I think.

Questions:

1. Is a VPN a possible solution under the above senario?

2. Is a VPN a practical solution for the above?

3. If yes what are the steps on each computer that I need to take to make the VPN work.

I have heard quite a bit about how VPN's are a bit unreliable or complex is this true? What are the draw backs? Are there alternatives?

Thanks.

purpleperson