Windows 2000 Server -> WRV54G 1

[explosivo]

I have been searching the forums and I don't think anyone has asked anything related this so here it goes....

In theory... creating a VPN connection seems simple but this is just a theory.

Background
I have a Windows 2000 Server as my workstation at home. I have cable internet access with a BEFSR41 (Reg. Cable router). I want to connect to my work network which has cable internet access with a WRV54G (VPN) Router.

Home Network->BESR41<->Internet<->WRV54G->Office Network

Home Config
Internal Net - 192.168.1.X Other PC's
BESR41 - 192.168.1.1 LAN PORT
Internet - 24.X.X.X WAN PORT

Work Config
Internet - 24.X.X.X WAN PORT
WRV54G - 10.178.1.114 LAN PORT
Internal Net - 10.178.1.X Other PC's


Questions
1. Do I configure IPSec on my workstation (win2ksrv) at home only or do I need a VPN router also.

2. Do I need to configure a win2ksrv at work as a VPN Server or does the WRV54G do this?

3. If I do need a VPN Server do i need to configure IPSec on this win2ksrv to communicate to the WRV54G.

4. Or does the WRV54G plain suck and I should buy another.

Any help would be greatly appreciated!

 

[deeno]

Responses:

1. Do I configure IPSec on my workstation (win2ksrv) at home only or do I need a VPN router also.

Since at home you are behind a NAT device, your best bet is to get a different router that can act as a VPN end point. There is a problem when you try to pass IPSec traffic through NAT, and while IPSec Pass Through is a workaround for this problem, I have never successfully connected to a remote VPN from behind a Linksys router even with IPSec Pass Through enabled. By replacing your current router at home with one that can act as a VPN end point, you will not have to configure IPSec on your home workstation.

2. Do I need to configure a win2ksrv at work as a VPN Server or does the WRV54G do this?

With the assumption that you want a quick and easy solution to your problem, I would say no. But, even though Linksys claims that the WRV54G can act as a VPN server, I have had no success with that. I have a WRV54G with the latest firmware here at home and have been unable to get its VPN function to work. So, the answer to your question is no, but you will either have to wait for new firmware in order to get this to work with your existing WRV54G or you will have to get a different router at your office.

3. If I do need a VPN Server do i need to configure IPSec on this win2ksrv to communicate to the WRV54G.

If you did choose to use an internal computer at your office as a VPN server, which I don’t recommend, you would probably end up either using PPTP or L2TP. This would require port forwarding on your router at the office and once the VPN server is setup on one of your computers you shouldn’t have to run any additional configuration. I don’t recommend this setup for your application, you’ll probably be happier with a router to router type of VPN.

4. Or does the WRV54G plain suck and I should buy another.

Basically, for VPN functionality, yeah, it sucks. But that could change with firmware. Don’t hold your breath though... it could be a while.

My honest recommendation to you, assuming you’re not going to try for any road-warrior type of connections, is to get an RV082 for your office and one for your home. That’s what we use at work to link our satellite offices. Our satellite offices also have the RV082. If you decide to go this route and need wireless capability, you’d probably want to get a plain wireless bridge to connect to the RV082.

I hope that offers some insight. I know it isn’t the best of news, but that will get you up and running. It’s possible you could get a device other than the RV082, I just recommend it because of the success that we have had with it, and for the money they’re really a good deal.

Keep us updated. Be sure to let me know if something I said doesn’t make sense. Forgive me if it doesn’t... it’s late!

deeno