first time site-to-site VPN direction needed

[sdeleeuw]

I've been reading a lot of the VPN stuff out there, and since work is terribly slow right now I've thought about experimenting with site-to-site VPN on a personal level to sort of expand my knowledge if you will. I work in IT and am not afraid to dive in and mess around, just have never done this before and trying to save myself a little frustration...

The main target of my first experiment I think is to set up a site-to-site VPN with my freshly retired parents as right now LogMeIn is what keeps their computer running. Just popping on to look at logs via remote administration or using RDP on the same network seems a lot easier.

I'd also like to not buy new hardware or hook up another PC which hogs a bunch of power.

I have on my shelf:

2 Linksys WRT54G's with DD-WRT on them

My home router is a Buffalo WZR-HP-G300NH, which I think I saw some VPN functionality in it...

The idea would be to set up one of the Linksys routers with VPN to mine, send it out to them, and just have it work right on power on.

I don't need to be told how to do it, but point me in the right direction to some of the best articles that will dig in to the setup at a granular level.

Can I do it on my end with the Buffalo router, or will I have to add the Linksys router inline? If the Linksys has to go inline does it plug in to one of the 4 LAN ports on my router and then I port forward to it somehow?

 

[sdeleeuw]

After a little more analysis...

The Buffalo has a builtin PPTP VPN Server, but I don't think that would work as router to router VPN? Looks like that is more when client software is on individual PCs?

I would want routed VPN vs bridged VPN as things like netbios and arp requests would be killer on the slower connection.

Their connection: 1mbps down, .3mbps up
Mine: 21mbps down, 3.2mbps up

Still not clear on how I would put a VPN "appliance" such as Linksys DD-WRT behind my present router....

Help me out here, I'm a newb when it comes to this..

 

[thiggins]

You need routers that with VPN endpoints built in that will handle site-to-site VPN.

http://www.dd-wrt.com/wiki/index.php/OpenVPN_-_Site-to-Site_Bridged_VPN_Between_Two_Routers

 

[sdeleeuw]

You need routers that with VPN endpoints built in that will handle site-to-site VPN.

http://www.dd-wrt.com/wiki/index.php/OpenVPN_-_Site-to-Site_Bridged_VPN_Between_Two_Routers

Thanks Tim,

I flashed the Buffalo to DD-WRT last night so I guess I'm good there. It runs better on the factory firmware, but the factory firmware doesn't support NAT loopback which I have a need for now.. Looks like I'm ready to go to try VPN... I also found...

http://www.dd-wrt.com/wiki/index.php/OpenVPN_-_Site-to-Site_routed_VPN_between_two_routers

http://www.dd-wrt.com/wiki/index.php/VPN_(the_easy_way)_v24+

Looks like I'd want routed VPN so I don't have broadcast traffic going across the wire?

 

[spooony]

Thanks Tim,

I flashed the Buffalo to DD-WRT last night so I guess I'm good there. It runs better on the factory firmware, but the factory firmware doesn't support NAT loopback which I have a need for now.. Looks like I'm ready to go to try VPN... I also found...

http://www.dd-wrt.com/wiki/index.php/OpenVPN_-_Site-to-Site_routed_VPN_between_two_routers

http://www.dd-wrt.com/wiki/index.php/VPN_(the_easy_way)_v24+

Looks like I'd want routed VPN so I don't have broadcast traffic going across the wire?

use OpenVPN