LAN to LAN VPN via VMB Hitron CGNV4 Router
 

We have a remote office with a 200mbs VMB line and Hitron CGNV4 Router. The Hitron is in modem-only mode and we have a Vigor2862 router behind it so we can run a LAN-to-LAN VPN to head office for server access and IP phones.

At head office we have a 1000mbs fibre leased line and a Vigor3900 router, then we have set up an IPSec VPN between the offices.

We started off with 5 static IPs, however after reading things like this: http://www.thebmwz3.co.uk/2017/05/vi...nd-static.html and https://www.cableforum.uk/board/show...php?t=33702977 and from what the engineer said about supporting VPN we have reverted to a dynamic IP just to make the VPN work.

Since we have experienced consistent issues with the VPN regularly dropping out, sometimes up to every couple of minutes, causing phone calls to drop etc. The maximum speed we get with the VPN active is about 40mbs down and 20mbs up.

Draytek support have logged in and rebuilt the VPN profiles several times, and say that everything is perfectly set up and it must be the virgin connection which is not compatible with the VPN set up.

Virgin telephone support say that it should be working fine and told me to check with Draytek!

Has anyone else experienced a similar situation and how was it resolved?

Does anyone have a definitive answer from Virgin Media regarding using their VMB connection for running a VPN between third party routers?

Appreciate any comments or advice

Re: LAN to LAN VPN via VMB Hitron CGNV4 Router
 

I'm pretty sure that VM traffic manage VPN's.

I setup a VPS server in France about 3 years ago to be my personal VPN, i've been mostly on the 150Mbit package during this time and up to about 6-8 months ago i would get a max of approx 110Mbit (due to the VPS cpu maxing out).

However in the last 6-8 months this has dropped to 30-40mbit. Checking the VPS the cpu was using approx 30% of my total CPU, so the cpu on the VPS wasn't a problem. Downloading a test file from a local hosting company to the VPS would get me approx 800Mbit, downloading a test file from the VPS>Home would get approx 150Mbit (Maxing my home line), so the network wasn't the problem. I tried for hours to get it back to 100Mbit+ but i could never do it, it would max between 30-40Mbit when using the VPN.

So then i tried setting up with a UK host and got exactly the same results. Fearing i might have a bodged OpenVPN config, i decided to test 5 VPN providers (using trials and friends accounts).....all maxed around 30-40Mbit. To make sure it wasn't my computer i also used OpenVPN on my phone, again 30-40Mbit going through Virgin.

At this point i was sure its actually VirginMedia and tried changing the port on my OpenVPN server and also tried using UDP/TCP, no difference, finally i gave up and tried my phone using through my provider (three) and got 60Mbit on the first test. I took my computer around my friends and was able to hit 140Mbit/sec using my VPN over his BTbroadband.

Whilst i was trying to figure it out, i also seen several posts over at community.virginmedia.com saying they were getting the same 30-40mbit speeds. So looks like Virgin are throttling it.

Re: LAN to LAN VPN via VMB Hitron CGNV4 Router
 

I have sent a pm to another forum user who uses a vpn and has oodles of experience with the hitron router and setting up the VM connection so we'll see what pearls of wisdom he has.

Re: LAN to LAN VPN via VMB Hitron CGNV4 Router
 

Thank you that's great

Re: LAN to LAN VPN via VMB Hitron CGNV4 Router
 

Thank General for alerting me to this thread.

I have a simialar setup with the Virginmedia Business service. However I have 5 static IP addresses. The issues you may have read about that service were fixed a fair time ago now, and I find it stable.

Given you are using modem modeyour Draytek WAN port shoudl be assigned your public IP address so that will be fine.

The drops you are experiencing is not something I am experiecing with my service - I find it very stable.

When this happens are you still able to access internet services? Ie is it just the VPN dropping or the whole service?

I assume the Draytek router is stable? I ask as I had a faulty Draytek a while back that would randomly reboot. After replacing it all was good again.

So to answer your last question - yes plenty of experience running a router based site to site VPN from a Draytek (2960 in my case) over VM Business. The key difference is I am using the 5 static IP address service.

I think my next step woudl be to determine if the Drayek is stable and not restarting. Same with the Hitron. Also checking when you have a VPN drop do you get general internet issues at the same time?