Is the LinkSys VPN Router a JOKE?

[OverDrive]

I bought the LinkSys BEFSX41 Router/Firewall/Switch/VPN.

Anyways I was VERY interetsted in the VPN side of it. After doing MUCH MUCH MUCH MUCH trial and error I was not able to get the thing to work. Then after reading some, this box is only a portal for you to get out instead of accessing the VPN remotely. Pretty much if that is true what that means is that it is only used as a VPN Client and the only thing it truely does is allows the user to not have to enable IPSec... <-- which by the way is BUILT into windows already.

Is this the case?? Is this what the suppsed yet confusing &quot;VPN End Point&quot; means?

After doing even MORE research I see that Linksys does have a True VPN Router (BEFVP41) with a built in concentrator for about $130... I hope I don't have to return mine...

Anyone have any thoughts?
Thanks
Chance~

 

[eLinux]

From reading the description on Linksys' website, it seems as though indeed the router is supposed to support an incomming VPN IPsec tunnel.

 

[OverDrive]

I didn't read that anywhere?

Where did you get that info from?

 

[eLinux]

http://www.linksys.com/products/product.asp?prid=433&scid=29

It says:

&quot;...so you can securely connect to the corporate server from your home office—or any location when you’re on the road.&quot;

From what I read, it's saying you can connect to your network from on the road: which would be the whole point of the VPN support

Almost any Linksys router nowadays can support VPN passthrough...it didn't seem as though they were marketing this one with just VPN passthrough.

 

[OverDrive]

I am pretty sure what it is telling you is that you can connect to your corporate office or your home with this VPN attatched to the network you are working from...

I did some heavier reading on this particular model which proved this statement, I will try and find it for ya.

There is no concentrator built into this model so as far as I know the only thing it will allow is for outgoing connections through the VPN (meaning a VPN client) meaning it replicates IPSec... and that is all.

Now I could be wrong, but unless someone out there has actually got this to work using it as the inbound VPN meaning haveing the router/vpn at your home and being able to VPN into your home network remotely please let me know.

Thanks for the info!
Chance~

 

[bigguync]

I have it working. I have DSL and use the modem as a passthrough using the Linksys. It works fine. I do have one small problem with accessing a few of my work Intranet sites, but I don't hink it's a Linksys problem.

 

[OverDrive]

But can you use that router/vpn to access YOUR network from a remote site?

Like access your home computer (which has the router/VPN) via VPN from work?

 

[bigguync]

No, I don't need it that way.

 

[OverDrive]

But windows 2000 gives you a VPN client inside the operating system... just need to enable IPSec and thats it.

So I am guessing that the advertised VPN router in question... the only thing it &quot;really&quot; does is allow 2 simultanious VPN outgoings...

I thought what I bought was different.

Unless I am mistaken, someone please correct me.

Thanks
Chance~

 

[IfAtFirst]

Consider these experiences of mine to date. I dabble with these cheaper models, trying to end up with the lowest-cost functional equipment set.

Success was achieved using an (BEF)SX-41 at one site to communicate with an SX-41 at another site, and gain access via tunnel to a webserver running on a computer at the remote site.

In this first case, my home SX-41 sat behind another &quot;residential&quot; grade router - a Microsoft MN-100. To get the VPN router working, MS Help folks (in India) had me put the SX-41 in the DMZ of the MN-100. Hey - it worked!

Success was also achieved using an SX-41 at a target site that contained all WinXP Home machines. For our home router we now use (BEF)VP-41's for multiple reasons I will explain if you request.

The main item of interest is that we turned on NetBIOS broadcasting on the SX-41, and it sent info on those XP babies, and populated the Network Neighborhood of the machine at which we were sitting.

Ask questions if you like, or confide how you really want to use your router or routers.

I can tell you that I still find the XP client trying to access a Linksys router problematic, and was researching it when I decided to join Tek-Tips for this very first post.

 

[OverDrive]

=)

Thanks for the info. It seems I am in agreeance with you on all facets of what you have said.

I do know that it is possible to link 2 sx-41 routers to create a virtual tunnel... which is my probable response after reading your post, althought this is not the application I thought I was purchasing.

So my result is this... I will be bringing back my LinkSys BEFSX-41 router to Best Buy and ordering a BEFVP-41 for the simple fact that the LinkSys SX-41 is sold to the average customer thinking it will allow VPN access to your home network via a remote location... which is not the case.

The real case is that the only way that it will work for an average user to be able to accomplish that goal is to by a VPN concentrator aka the BEFVP-41.

Thanks for all the responses!!
Chance~

 

[IfAtFirst]

VP41's are more stable - I'm guessing because of more processing power, including separate chip for the encryption duties.

SX41's were more crashy.

Configuring them is very similar - just check out the userguide PDF's - which you can download and peruse ahead of purchasing whatever you buy next.

If you ever anticipate coming in with wireless on your user end, I think it wise to buy something like the WRV54G, because you may want single-interface control over the wireless users (and wirless interlopers), and your customary point of VPN access.

On the target end, a device with more tunnel setups gives you the option of connecting from more places, if you are ever on the move.

This way you can set up tunnels and not tear the existing ones down, just because you decided you need software client access from a laptop you carried to Uncle Harry's house.

Believe me, even though you start to develop a facility for setting these things up, it's nice to leave well-enough alone, once you get both ends of a tunnel configured and working.

 

[IfAtFirst]

On the other hand, when you read threads by &quot;Markku&quot; (

http://www.tek-tips.com/userinfo.cfm?member=markku

), who appears to have a keen sense of things with Linksys routers, you sort of get the message that the WRV54G is a work-in-progress.

Caveat emptor, I guess.