VPN

[Tahree]

I am trying to configure a VPN server on a remote office and then to connect with it as client to provide them technical assistant and a couple of user from UAE may also connect to that server, They are using an ISP modem/router for now and the connection will be on daily basis from 9 to 5... so what type of VPN should suit the required conditions and what are the steps to configure ? speed and security will be the main area to consider.  Thank you

[Richard Burts]

There are essentially two types of VPN. There is site to site vpn and remote access vpn. In site to site vpn it is like connecting a lan at one site to a lan at the other site. This allows hosts at one site to access network resources at the other site and the traffic between sites is encrypted. In remote access vpn your PC runs a client which connects to a vpn server at the remote site. Once you have connected and authenticated traffic between your PC and the server is encrypted and your PC is assigned an IP address that makes it virtually a member of the lan at the remote site. While either type of vpn might do for you I believe that what you are asking about is more the remote access vpn.

With Cisco equipment the primary type of remote access vpn uses the AnyConnect client on the PC. The vpn server for AnyConnect is frequently an ASA and there is support for AnyConnect vpn on IOS routers if your remote office would rather do it that way.

Here is a link to an article discussing AnyConnect on IOS router which I hope you will find useful

https://www.cisco.com/c/en/us/support/docs/security/anyconnect-secure-mobility-client/200533-AnyConnect-Configure-Basic-SSLVPN-for-I.html

HTH

Rick

[Tahree]

Sir thanks for the answer, but what if the server side hasn't any Cisco equipment ? for now that only had an ISP router/modem.

[Richard Burts]

If that side now has only the ISP router/modem then they will need to acquire some device to function as their vpn server. Once they decide what they will use then you will be able to figure out how to use it.

HTH

Rick

[Tahree]

sir what device may I use for my above given requirements ? is hardware essential or Software may also work ? Cisco routers can be used for this task ? and how to use router for just the VPN services, modules have to be installed ? being a beginner kindly help me with the basics and complete setup..   Thanks

[Richard Burts]

You tell us that "for now that only had an ISP router/modem". How do the IP packets get from the ISP router/modem to the PCs? It would help us give better advice if we had better understanding of the network there.

My first reaction was to suggest a Cisco solution for providing Remote Access vpn but given a description that seems to be a very simple network with currently no Cisco equipment in it I believe that you might want to look at a Remote Access vpn that runs on a Windows server. This link is to an article from Microsoft about using a Windows server to provide Remote Access vpn. I hope it will be helpful.

https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/windows-server/remote/remote-access/vpn/always-on-vpn/deploy/vpn-deploy-ras

 HTH

Rick