Netgear VPN Setup

[pmasley]

First a little setup information.

Both internet connections is through Charter, Charter Home and Charter Business. One Charter modem is the business modem, name unknown, the home moden is called the shark fin.

Both Routers are Netgear Prosafe VPN Firewall FVS318 V3.

I need to set up the VPN at home and at the Business so I can log into the business to transfer files and run two programs at the office. Both programs will run through the VPN with no problems. This has been verified by the software manufacturers and there will be no license infractions.

I do not have any assistance and will have to do the setup by myself (the distance is 60 miles, makes one great problem).

1.) Will I have to buy VPN software or will the two routers I have communicate since they are the same?

2.) How hard of a setup will this be?

3.) Any easy steps to do do this?

I know that I have to setup static IP addreses on the two communicating computers. Charter has stated tht they will give me static IP addresses.

Thanks for your help!

Paul

[YeOldeStonecat]

Many routers support "router to router VPN tunnels"...I'm not sure on this Netgear model. But in those cases, you don't use software, the routers are setup to do the tunnel themselves to connect to the locations into a WAN.

Setup is not hard. I'm not fond of Netgear products anymore, haven't done a VPN with one a quite a few years, I'd done with with Sonicwall products, and my current VPN router line of hardware...the Linksys/Cisco RV082 and RV016 models of business grade VPN routers. They work great. Your two sites will have to be different IP ranges, meaning, say the first site..192.168.0.xxx, and the next site, 192.168.1.xxx, or 192.168.2.xxx, etc. Both locations cannot be the same if you wish to tie them together with a VPN.

Static IP addresses are not mandatory, as some VPN setups will support dynamic DNS. But honestly, it's better to have at least your main site on a static IP address.

[pmasley]

Stonecat: Thanks for the info. As you can see, I have been a member since 2003, but this is my first post for help. I guess lurking around the site has provided most of my answers needed.

I am working on getting the second router setup. Charter is being a PITA, because they do not want to reset the MAC address at the home location. Guess I am going to have to call the corporate (business) side and see if they will build a fire.

Next question: Is VPN really secure for transporting sensitive (class 1) data?

[YeOldeStonecat]

Next question: Is VPN really secure for transporting sensitive (class 1) data?

Yah, you can crank up the IPSec security...it's good.

[pmasley]

Both routers support VPN and the Prosafe Firewall is supposedly up there with Cisco.

I was looking through the "On router self-help setup" and it looks like it may be simple to do. I am just wondering how may 120 mile roundtrips I am going to have to make to get it setup and completely secure. I would say a few, not to mention, having to rest the the rest of the home computers so they can use the router too.