RV320 PPTP Server - Network Access

[bhataNishi]

(I'm a novice when it comes to many network features, so please excuse my ignorance...)

I'm looking for a replacement to my Linksys RVL200 router because it doesn't allow SSL VPN with my new Windows 7 laptop.  I have read that the RV320 has the same problem. 

However, the PPTP server feature of the RV320 may give me what I want.  I need access from home into a work network which does not have a server.  It has a bunch of stand alone PCs and various network devices.  I need access to modify network device settings using my browser or to use Microsoft Remote Desktop Connection tool to login to various stand alone PCs.

Does the RV320 PPTP Server option provide the same access into the network as the SSL VPN did with my old XP system?

[mpyhala]

bhataNishi,

PPTP will allow access to the LAN much the same as SSL VPN but is not as secure. You might want to consider a third party client such as Shrewsoft that seems to work well with most of the Cisco Small Business routers. Do you need Dual-WAN?

[bhataNishi]

mpyhala,

Thanks for the feedback on PPTP. 

How is Shrewsoft different from Cisco's QuickVPN?  Don't they both need access to a server?  I tried (Linksys/Cisco) QuickVPN 6 years ago and was unsuccessful on my XP system.  That's when I used SSL VPN.

I actually don't need dual-WAN.  For some reason I skipped over the RV042G and RV180.  Are these two devices similar to the RV320?

-bhata

[mpyhala]

bhata,

Shrewsoft is more flexible than QuickVPN and has fewer limitations as far as what OS it works on. I am not opposed to QuickVPN and I still use it with my RV220W because it works well on Windows 7. QuickVPN is not officially supported on Windows 8 and as you probably know it requires that the Windows firewall be enabled. If/when I upgrade my OS I will likely use Shrewsoft as an alternative. I have also used IPSecuritas with my Macbook Pro and found that it works well.

I use the RV220W and I am very happy with it. It is extremely stable on the latest firmware and the wireless is rock solid and has great range in my home. It also has browser based SSL VPN but I have not had good luck with that. The main problem is that the browsers keep getting updated and breaking the connection. The RV180W is quite similar but not quite as powerful and lacks SSL VPN. The RV180 is the same but without wireless.

The RV042G is a solid router and works well for site to site VPN. I prefer the RV180/220W because the VLAN support is much better and I like the user interface. If I needed Dual-WAN I would likely use the newer RV320.

Please mark this thread as answered or reply if you have any additional questions.

- Marty

[bhataNishi]

Marty,

I was using SSL VPN with my old XP system and Linksys router.  With my new Windows 7 system SSL VPN does not work because, what I gather, of VirtualPassage's reliance on ActiveX.  This is why I need a new router.

My first attempt at VPN 6 years ago was with Linksys/Cisco's QuickVPN and was not successful.  Does it function, from a network access standpoint, like PPTP?  That is, once connected, can I use the Windows Remote Desktop Client and access all my network devices' GUI using my browser?

-bruceh

[mpyhala]

bruceh,

All of the VPN clients do pretty much the same thing, you connect and you have access to the LAN. You can do Remote Desktop to any PC that allows it, access shares, ping and access the GUIs of LAN devices. One thing that is different with QuickVPN is that you don't get an additional IP address when you connect, the router performs NAT for the VPN connection. It is also a split tunnel, meaning that only traffic destined for the remote LAN goes through the tunnel. All traffic destined for the internet goes out the local WAN and never goes through the tunnel.

Please mark this thread as answered or reply if you have any additional questions.

- Marty

[bhataNishi]

Marty,

Thanks again for your assistance.  I feel a bit more at ease with choosing one of these boxes and getting access to the network.

-bhata