How to setup a VPN Gateway using VR042 as backup/redundancy for lease line failure between remote offices

The current setup has cisco routers connected via 2 mbps lease line setting configured point to point connectivity. I can not use use the cisco routers' backup isdn option. As we have internet access at both locations would like to setup an alternate vpn gateway point to point as failover/backup in case the lease line fails. The lease line is down 1-2 times in the month as remote office location in rural location.

The VLAN Gateway would be set in same subnet namely 255.255.248.0 at both sides logically.

Sandip Saraf

Can someone please help me. The technical support of Linksys has suggested that we configure VPN Gateway but keep is switched off. Only on lease line failure it should be switched on and the users would restart their computers and can work.

Can I have any method were if automatically failover redundancy is not possible can I not keep the VPN Gateway up and running and avoiding manual interaction/ powering on VPN Gateway routers.

The experts urgent help would be greatly appreciated.

sandip_saraf,

Honestly, I can't see how you want to setup the RV042. Can you for example attach a drawing of the current setup and the setup you want to see if it's even possible?

LucF

Please find the diagram attached herewith. The exisiting setup with cisco routers and lease line is working. I am trying to setup the backup VPN gatewayt using internet and RV042 routers to work as backup in case of Lease line failure without changes to client pcs at remote location with just a re-start if needed.

My exact ip configuration is as follows that i wish to use...

Head Office
Router Ip : 172.16.30.4
Subnet : 255.255.254.0
Static Ip from local isp : 61.8.x.x
Remote Office
Router IP : 172.16.32.2
Subnet : 255.255.254.0
Static ip from local isp -remote office : 118.91.x.x
Your kind help in the matter would be appreciated...

**public IP's edited by LucF - Community Advisor**

Hi sandip_saraf,

For that setup I'd say forget it. It'll include a huge amount of manual intervention for you and all users to get running after a failure of the leased line.

The RV042 has two WAN interfaces with failover possibilities, so if you really want to go this route you'd be better off by actually using this functionality.
Sadly the RV042 doesn't allow subnets bigger than Class-C so you'll loose on that part.

In any case, to implement the RV042's, you'll have to redesign your network.

Best regards,

LucF

I do not mind redsigning the network. Please suggest how best I can configure and use the RV042 at both ends to work as backup in case of lease line failure.  If possible no user changes at only user/client pcs at remote location would suffice the requiremet.
The manual powering of RV042 in case of lease line failure is also acceptable solution.

Awaiting your response.

Lets forget if we cannot configure the new end-to-end vpn gateway and act as fallback in case of lease line (sepearte end-to-end) connection failure without manual interation.

Can I replace the techroute/cisco routers with VR042 to have 2Mbps RAD modem to connect to WAN1 port at both ends and have WAN2 port configured as VPN Gateway as smart link backup, so that in case of Lease Line failure the WAN2 would work and the user pc configuration need not be changed.

Thanks for all your support. Please revert asap and oblige.

I spoke to the tech support of Linksys and they suggested that I could plug the RV042 in between the Cisco router and the switch using the WAN1 ports at both ends and configure WAN2 as VPN Gateway and this can be made to work as fallback in case of lease line failure.
The pc's client will be re-configured to have deafult gateway of RV042 ip add.
Please help how can I do the required setup.

The diagram file....

Thanks for the help. I last thing. If my VR042 is configured on WAN2 port as VPN Gateway using secondary internet connection at both the ends; can I somehow put VR042 in between existing cisco routers & main switch using WAN1 port as shown in diagram above so that the WAN2 port acts as fallback for lease line failure.

sandip_saraf,

Taking your last drawing, I've added some things wich might make a possible solution more clear. With the VPN backup in place this could lead to a workable solution. However keep in mind that you'll have to reconfigure the Cisco routers as they'll now have to take care of double-NAT for the VPN connection so please make sure this situation is actually working stable before implementing it as a full solution.

If you go for the suggestion in the attached picture, the client setup for the computers stays the same, the gateway address of the client computers will remain the Cisco router. Only on the Cisco you'll have to reconfigure the VPN so it can handle the NAT inbetween.

Regards,

LucF

p.s. keep in mind that I'm not really a fan of this router-to-router solution. If there's a possibility to add a second WAN interface on the Cisco router which would handle the connection backup it'd be a way more preffered solution.

Thanks LucF,

The problem is as the lease line modem have V.35 interface I have to connect to Cisco Router with V.35 and connect deirectly connect to RV042 as it has RJ45 Wan port only. Hence can I some how use RV042 as default gateway with VPN backup on Wan2 working in between the cisco router  and switch.

I mean connect WAN1 of RV042 to cisco router using NAT or so.  In case possible please give the detail for the same.

You have been of immense help. Thanks again.

sandip_saraf,

I figured something like that would be the case.
Please see the attached drawing. Note that the subnetmask will have to be 255.255.255.0 on both ends or smaller. And you'll have to choose new internal ranges which don't conflict with ranges on the Ciscos.

You would setup the RV042's in Failover mode with default to WAN1 and WAN2 as backup.
Then you setup a VPN on the WAN2 ports of the RV042's and set it to connect on demand.

This setup should only bring up the WAN2 interfaces and VPN tunnel on the RV042's when the leased line goes down. However I haven't used a similar setup like that myself.

You also may have to setup some static routes to be able to connect the internal networks together through the NAT of the RV042 for the WAN1 interfaces or you can use a separate tunnel and use the setup as described in the article I linked to at ID:23880401

Regards,

LucF

p.s. Same applies as to the above setup, it might not be a preffered one due to double NATting.