Multiple VPN End Point router to SBS 2003 VPN

[RustyAfro]

I have SBS 2003 and everything was running smoothly until a remote office needed to connect to the SBS VPN from multiple workstations. The remote office has a DSL connection using a low end D-Link router that apparently only supports one VPN tunnel at a time.

If I get a router that supports multiple VPN tunnels and place it in the remote office, can SBS 2003 server handle multiple VPN connections to it considering the workstations from the remote office will be connecting to the SBS server from the same IP address?

If that is possible, what are some of the lowest cost routers that I could do this with? I was looking at the Linksys BEFSX41 but that one only handles 2 VPN end points, and I would like to have at least 4 workstations able to connect to the SBS server...

Thank you for your time

 

[reynolwi]

why not just create one vpn tunnel using the router that way you wont need multiple tunnels. All the users would use the one.

Wm. Reynolds
RRWDS | TxPSS

http://www.rrwds.com

http://www.txpubsafety.com

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Network Error:
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[RustyAfro]

Funny you mention it, I was just reading something about that.

The remote office uses a D-Link VWR[/LINK]

In the web interface for the router there is nothing about VPN, though there are some other advanced options. Is there anyway to use this existing router to create this tunnel? If not, any suggestions for a low-cost but reliable router to set up the VPN?

How would all the workstations be able to access the network folders from that vpn connection.

One other question is, I assume I would have to setup a VPN connection on the SBS 2003 server just for the router...any tips for doing that?

 

[RustyAfro]

I have a Linksys BEFSR41 that I am not using...just in case the VWR cannot do this. Though looking at the specs for the BEFSR41, that may not be able to either... :-/

If I do have to get a new router, something that has wireless built into it would be ideal but not necessary if it complicates matters too much.

 

[RustyAfro]

Another though occured to me, though I don't know if this would work.

Right now there are only 2 workstations at the remote office. Both of them connect directly to the internet through the D-link's built in switch.

Could I instead put another NIC in one of the workstations and use Internet Connection Sharing (ICS) so that the other computers internet goes through the first workstation.

Then I could connect workstation 1 to the SBS VPN. My question is, would the other workstation then be able to map to the SBS servers network drives just like workstation 1 does?

 

[reynolwi]

im not sure about that one. i would recommend just using a hardware VPN and creating a tunnel like that. You should be able to create a tunnel to your server using either that D-Link or Linksys without any problems. I dont use either one for VPN as i use Symantec Hardware to create my IPSEC VPN tunnel between 2 symantec routers, but i dont see any problems with either the D-Link or Linksys not working. There should be a little help thing for those and you may find it online and it should walk you thru setting up a VPN on those devices.

Wm. Reynolds
RRWDS | TxPSS

http://www.rrwds.com

http://www.txpubsafety.com

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Network Error:
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[RustyAfro]

I didn't find anything for VPN tunnels with the DLINK...in the settings for the D-LINK there is no "VPN" section anywhere to be found.

Correct me if I am wrong, but I am assuming that any hardware router than create a VPN tunnel to my SBS server would have a built in setup section for me to plug in the servers VPN server IP address, domain, login credentials, etc? Or is that process done through external software?

 

[reynolwi]

If the router is capable of creating a VPN tunnel then yes there will be a section in the administration for entering all those details.

Wm. Reynolds
RRWDS | TxPSS

http://www.rrwds.com

http://www.txpubsafety.com

- - - - - - - - - - - - -
Network Error:
Hit any user to continue

 

[RustyAfro]

Interesting...SBS Server 2003 comes with an executible that installs on client workstations. In network connections on the workstation a new connection icon appears for the SBS connection. The workstation ends up with a connection icon on their desktop and when launching it, is prompted to enter user / pass credentials, then click connect.

A VPN connection is then established. I am very new to VPN (obviously), but it seems to me that the VPN connection is being done through client/server software, not exactly using the router (though of course all packets go through the router...). Is it possible that the router doesn't have "hardware" vpn capabilities, and that it's just the software allowing the VPN tunnel to occur? Or are you saying that in this scenario, since the vpn does go through the router one way or another, there should be a way to setup the router to store these credentials so that the router itself makes the vpn tunnel?

 

[reynolwi]

no... the router must be capable of creating its own VPN tunnel. Some routers in their software either let vpn tunnels pass-thru or they can physically create VPN tunnels to other vpn devices. I currently have 2 VPN routers setup to connect to themselves which lets my remote site connect to my site. There is a server over there and 6 workstations and 2 printers and the server replicates active directory data thru the tunnel to my servers here. And the remote users also use the tunnel to get to the exchange server.

A hardware VPN tunnel is a permanent tunnel where a server/client vpn tunnel is used as needed like when a user goes off-site but needs to be able to get into the enterprise network.

VPN routers do cost more than regular routers, but if you are constantly creating VPN tunnels to the same location, a VPN router at each location which creates the VPN tunnel to each location will be sometimes easier to manage because its just one tunnel and it allows all traffic to pass back and forth within the network. You dont have to have multiple tunnels.

Wm. Reynolds
RRWDS | TxPSS

http://www.rrwds.com

http://www.txpubsafety.com

- - - - - - - - - - - - -
Network Error:
Hit any user to continue

 

[reynolwi]

if you have a broadband connection at each location it may be wise to just buy a VPN router for each location and just setup a hardware vpn tunnel instead of having multiple tunnels connecting from the remote site to the main site. You can find some inexpensive vpn routers that will do just fine.

Wm. Reynolds
RRWDS | TxPSS

http://www.rrwds.com

http://www.txpubsafety.com

- - - - - - - - - - - - -
Network Error:
Hit any user to continue

 

[RustyAfro]

Thank you for the response, I understand more now.

I bought an inexpensive LinkSys router that allows 2 end points. I am going to first try connecting it from the remote office directly to the server. If that ability will allow users sharing the internet connection through that router to access the network files, then it will work for now.

Later though, I may buy another one to give the site to site ability a try. Hopefully this goes smooth and I will post my results (or questions) after I try it this weekend.

Thanks again!

 

[dlb7be]

I would love to know if your new LinkSys router worked for two VPN's.... And if so, what model is it?

I have 2 computers, but can only VPN one at a time with my currect Linksys router.

Thank you!

 

[RustyAfro]

I unfortunately haven't yet installed my hardware. I'm hoping to this week and promise to report back how it went answer your questions ;-)

 

[jakess]

I'm also new to VPN setups and is trying to figure out how to setup my first VPN connection to main office domain.
I want remote user to login to the domain as if they are on the domain network.
They must get the login script to mapped nework drives, connect to Exch mailbox and to write to the SQL database from their accounting software.
Their will be 3 remote sites with 3 pc's at each remote site ad SBS running at the main office.