Broadband Tech > Virtual Private Networking > questions about setup a home vpn

questions about setup a home vpn

Some routers support VPN servers, including those that use third-party firmware like dd-wrt or tomato. So it's certainly possible. Or you can setup a VPN server (PPTP) on a Windows desktop/laptop. Of course, many ppl prefer the router-based solution since it avoids the need to run a desktop/laptop just for these purposes.

One problem you always have to consider is service/port blocking. There's no guarantee that any given solution won't be subject to blocking by the ISP, esp. in foreign countries. That's why it's always best to have at least one backup solution, in case your primary/preferred solution fails.

Personally, I use a Microsoft PPTP VPN on a server that runs 24/7. But I also run Hamachi and a proxy server (Privoxy) as a backup. It allows me to route most of my traffic through my own router (at least for those apps that can be configured to use the proxy). Because Hamachi uses standard SSL protocols, it's almost never blocked! If it was, it would break a TON of stuff, so it would be blocked in the only strictest environments.

Thanks for the respond.
The router Cisco RV220W is listed as vpn router, and can setup as IPSEC. However, reading through the manual, the configuration require entering some internal IP address to point to. Thus I was wondering maybe I do a desktop/laptop to do a server task.

If I want to setup so that everything connecting to a router is connect to a vpn server (so all connections will have external IP address from VPN server side), is that call Gate way to gateway?

reply to Kaien
Cisco RV220W will support VPN clients without a server

As does the Cisco RV042, Netgear VFS318G

The Netgear FVS336G, VFS318N, and Cisco RV220W also support SSL VPN, which means you just visit a https site and it runs and installs itself, no need for client VPN software to be pre-loaded.

The device itself can hold the user account/passwords and does not need a server on the inside to authenticate against, although if you want to implement single sign-on, that's a nice way to do it

Cool! I have ordered RV220W. Should be getting it in a few days.

Now I read in the manual that it mention something about SSL Certificates. Seems like I will need to submit some kind of forum to request something... Is this step required?

reply to Kaien
optional, if you use the self-signed certificate (the one it has built in) it will still work, and be pretty secure, although IE and other major browsers may warn you about it being an invalid certificate, and you'll have an extra click-through saying "proceed anyway" (or something like that)

If you want to use your own certificate, you have to buy one and have your own domain-name to assign to it (both are an annual fee)

reply to Kaien
Got my RV220W last night. Did a quick setup with IPSEC and PPTP server on. Tested with my iphone and everything seems to work! Strange that I can't connect with IPSEC setting with my iphone, only the PPTP option works... What's the differences between IPSEC and PPTP?

I notice under IPSEC setting, I have option to setup gateway to gateway connection. Let say if I have two RV220W and setup gateway to gateway, does it means all laptop connect to the router will have the IP address of the others?

reply to Kaien
PPTP is no where near as secure as IPSEC

Perhaps something is wrong in your IPSec settings or perhaps there is an incompatibility.

These may help, or frustrate you:
- »supportforums.cisco.com/thread/2067638
- »www.networkworld.com/community/b···isco-vpn

Gateway to Gateway (or more commonly a L2L tunnel) between two routers means the two devices form the VPN tunnel with eachother, and hosts (computers, servers, IP phones) behind one device can access things on the network behind the other device. This is better than having each host individually launch a VPN client, thereby creating several tunnels to the same endpoint - inefficient. You use ACLs to define which traffic can go which way over the L2L tunnel. Commonly, devices behind router A will see the source address as the inside IP of router B (not the external IP since it is going over the VPN tunnel, although this can be considered similar to NAT)

reply to Kaien
I can live with PPTP with iphone. So its not big of a deal.
I just tried quick vpn to connect to my server (IPSec), and its not working at all. It appear Quick VPN does not work with Window 7 64bit... Is there any client that would work? I tried Shrewsoft VPN (which works on my 64bit window connect to my work vpn server), but couldn't get it to work too.

Another question. I use my blu-ray player to watch the streaming content. How can I get my ble-ray player to connect to vpn?

reply to Kaien
Looks like issue has nothing to do with 64bit window or not... I just tried 32bit Window 7, and Quick VPN giving me the same error, saying certificate is not installed on my PC, even through I have copy the https.pem file in the quick VPN folder... Using Shrewsoft VPN giving me time out error...

Any help is greatly appreciate!

reply to Kaien
I have found a related post for that. It will give users the list of best vpn for routers...Check this out may be it helps you somehow...!!!