VPN newbie query

[altis]

I'm trying to set up a VPN link between two 'offices'

Both have Netgear FWG114P router/switch/wireless units. I have managed to configure them correctly and create a VPN connection - both ends say so - but I can't do anything with it.

What next?

[Jon M]

This may help: http://www.netgear.com.au/shared/dow...box_to_box.pdf

Note: To connect remote networks, the LAN IP address ranges of each connected network must be different. The connection will not work if both ends are using the NETGEAR default address range of 192.168.0.x.

* The guide is for a different model in their range.. but my guess is that the proceedure will be the same/similar

[altis]

Thanks for that s1lv3r.

I'd already spotted that pitfall and changed the address range at this end.

I've just printed out the document and will start working through it.

[MovedGoalPosts]

If the IP range is the same at both ends the DNS systems get confused, and both start fighting each other, knock each other over so you can't see a thing.

Test it all out using an account with admin rights so you can see everything first, making sure the account does have remote access rights for the distant office.

[altis]

Blimey - has it really taken that long for me to sort this! Anyway, problem solved and in the end the culprit was..... the ADSL modem! Somehow it was intercepting some of the VPN traffic and swallowing it.

I chose the D-Link DSL-300T because it appeared to be a plain vanilla modem. Far from it! It has a DHCP server and NAT router (which you can't turn off!!!). I managed to get through to someone sensible at D-Link and he talked me through setting it into 'bridge' mode where it behaves as a simple dumb modem - ideal - and it works too!!! IIRC these are the steps involved:

1) connect a PC directly to the modem

2) perform a factory reset on the modem by holding down the little reset button on the back for over 10 seconds

3) make the PC renew it's IP address (use winipcfg on Win9X)

4) go to the modem's configuration page at 192.168.1.1

5) enter the default username and password (admin, admin)

6) select setup / modem setup and set modulation type as GDMT (not sure if this is necessary - my ISP specifies multimode - but this works) and click apply.

7) select setup / connection and set type to bridge, encapsulation as VC, VPI as 0, VCI as 38, QoS as UBR, PCR as blank, SCR as blank and click apply.

8) select setup / DHCP configuration, select server off and click apply.

9) select tools / system commands and click save all to store the new parameters.

10) reconnect router between PC and modem

11) renew PC's IP address again

12) go to router's configuration page and set the broadband connection type to be PPPoE and enter the ADSL username and password. Save the new configuration if required.

13) repower modem and router for good measure

14) it works!!!

Note that, because it is now so dumb, the configuration page of the modem is lost. The only way to talk to it again is to do a factory reset (as in stage 2).

Hope that helps someone.