VPN connection through 2 routers

[hoffmannd]

Can anyone tell me if the following scenario is possible.

I have a linkysys router (BEFSR41 v2) connected to my cable modem and set to DHCP (192.168.10.x) and a Netgear wireless router (WGT624 v3) connected to the Linksys router and set to DHCP (192.168.11.x). The Netgear WAN port is connected to a Linksys switch port and obtains its WAN address from the Linksys.

The reason I am setup this way is so that my son can have his machine on the Linksys network and I can be on the Netgear network. This setup allows me to be safe from whatever my son may be doing, be it hosting internet games or whatever (at least I am told that this setup will not allow his network to see mine but mine to see his).

I am trying to estabish a VPN connection to my work place but the attempts fail unless I connect directly to the Linksys router. I want to be able to make the connection throught Netgear router, which then goes through the Linksys router and then to work. Is this feasible?

I am up for any suggestions like static routing, port forwarding or port triggering but would rather not open any ports to make this work if at all possible.

Thanks for any and all ideas.

- Dan

 

[HungryHouse]

A few comments and then suggestions. You've created an unnecessary daisy chain that will force all return traffic from the Internet through his network before it hits your machine, so, the networks are not at all separate besides his own Internet traffic. Ideally, you should have a small layer 2 switch that supports VLAN tagging and a router that does same; if not, a small layer 3 switch would suffice (although few of them do NAT, so you'd probably still need to keep one of your router).
It would look like this:
CBLMODEM----RTR----SWITCH--------You on Vlan3
|
|
Son on Vlan2

All you need do to is run a VPN client on your PC and have your router have IPSEC passthrough enabled (some call this generically 'VPN passthrough').

If you keep to your current setup, then IPSEC passthrough must be enabled on both routers. If neither of these support it, you will be out of luck.

I hope this info is helpful!

-HH

 

[hoffmannd]

HungryHouse,

Thanks for your helpful comments. I do have IPSEC passthrough enabled on both so must be it just won't work with the setup I am trying to create.

As for the separate networks, I got this idea from the creator of the SheildsUP! website (

https://www.grc.com/x/ne.dll?bh0bkyd2).

I thought he had stated that doing it this way would not allow my son's internet browsing and what not to see my network but I could see his do to the fact that I was connected to his router. Supposedly anything he was doing could not make its way to my network.

Anyway, I will look over your suggestion and reevaluate whether or not I should just go with the one router and eliminate the second or create the setup you described.

Thanks again for you input.

- Dan

 

[HungryHouse]

You're very welome Dan. Have a great weekend!
-HH