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How to physically connect a VPN Bridge

Posted: Mon Dec 14, 2015 7:45 pm
by shawn_d_wood
I'm far from a network expert (novice is probably the best word), so I apologize in advance if I'm asking stupid questions. I am trying to connect 2 LAN's in 2 separate locations so that they become a single LAN with the main LAN controlling DHCP. I've established the VPN server on the main LAN.

But I'm trying to figure out how to set up the VPN Bridge device on the other LAN, and want to understand it properly since I need to purchase equipment for it. On that LAN is currently a Cable Modem connected to a Wireless router serving a dozen devices.

So, on this second LAN - If I understand the documentation, I would have a Windows box with 2 NIC cards. I would plug this Bridge computer in between the Modem and the Router (meaning that the Modem would have 1 network cable to one of the NIC's, and the other NIC would then have a cable running to the WAN port of the Router). I would alter the Router to have a different IP address than the router in the main LAN and turn off the DHCP on the Router. Then, if I understand it all, all the wireless devices on this 2nd LAN would have their DHCP requests, and all internet traffic routed through the Bridge to the main LAN.

Is that correct, or am I missing something obvious? Also, how would I alter the setup if I wanted to support 2 Wireless networks on the 2nd LAN - one with traffic routed through the VPN, and another with traffic bypassing the Bridge and working directly with the modem?

Re: How to physically connect a VPN Bridge

Posted: Tue Dec 15, 2015 7:46 am
by mbrcomp
Hello, can you please post a schematic of the networking setup with IP numbers ? Use generic IPs not to give anything away... :)

Re: How to physically connect a VPN Bridge

Posted: Tue Dec 15, 2015 3:25 pm
by shawn_d_wood
Here is a diagram of what I'd like to achieve. The part I'm unsure about is how to configure the VPN Bridge on the Remote LAN so it will route all traffic from the wifi named 'VPN' through the tunnel - this would include all DCHP requests and any other internet traffic. Do I need 2 NIC's in this device? I'm assuming so, to prevent internet requests from being handled directly by Router0 - so by isolating Router1 it forces the VPN Bridge to handle all traffic for wifi named 'VPN'.

All IP's are generic.

Re: How to physically connect a VPN Bridge

Posted: Tue Dec 15, 2015 3:43 pm
by mbrcomp
I see no attachment ? Maybe my user is too new. If you can put the file somewhere on a public link so I can see it.

Re: How to physically connect a VPN Bridge

Posted: Tue Dec 15, 2015 5:35 pm
by shawn_d_wood
Ah, I tried it as a word document, didn't notice the error.

Here are 2 png files - one for the main lan, one for the remote lan.

Re: How to physically connect a VPN Bridge

Posted: Wed Dec 16, 2015 4:53 pm
by mbrcomp
I am stumped as to your obejctive. Do you want to create an access point for guest users and let them browse only if authenticated by the VPN ?

Re: How to physically connect a VPN Bridge

Posted: Wed Dec 16, 2015 5:08 pm
by shawn_d_wood
My goal is to provide 2 WIFI networks at the remote LAN.

First 1st would be an open network which wouldn't touch the VPN in any way. This is what I have with the current configuration.

The 2nd would be a password enabled network which is connected through SoftEther to the Main LAN, and all devices on this 2nd network would behave as if they were physically in the Main LAN location (i.e. they get their IP address from the DHCP device in Main LAN, their internet traffic would come in and out from the Main LAN, etc.

Re: How to physically connect a VPN Bridge

Posted: Wed Dec 16, 2015 6:08 pm
by mbrcomp
You'd need a site to site bridge between NIC1 and NIC2 and their associated routers. I have not yet done it, so I'm giving an educated guess here, also based on my poor understanding of your underlying structure, based on your diagrams. I think there is a difference between what you wrote and what you drew, correct me if I am wrong, I believe nic1 and nic2 are on different sites each connected to a separate WAN.