SRP521W-K9-G1 and SRP541W-A-K9

[telecastle]

I am trying to spec out these routers as teleworker routers to establish IPSec VPN tunnels from private residences to the HQ where the Cisco Small Business series firewall SA541 will be located. So, I am looking for one IPSec VPN tunnel between each of these routers and the SA541.

I see that these routers are advertised as 3G routers, but I am interested in just regular wired connectivity via their WAN port to a cable modem or DSL modem at the teleworker residence. I am plannign to connect VoIP phones into LAN ports of these routers and configure a split tunnel so that teleworkers would go to the Intenet directly via their own Internet connection, but come to the HQ for voice services as well as for data storage, email, and other services hosted at the HQ.

So, I have a few questions:

1. Are these routes currently the most robust routers for a teleworker setup among all Cisco offerings from the Small Business Pro line of routers?

2. Do these routers support split IPSec VPN tunnels?

3. Do these routers work well with IP phones using IPSec VPN tunnels established by these routers?

4. Do you know if Cisco offers Next Business Day replacement contracts on these routers?

5. Has anyone tried to use the SIP functoinality of these routers to establish a SIP trunk to a UC320?

Thanks!

[Andrew Hickman]

Hi,

Some answers to your questions below:

So, I have a few questions: 
1. Are these routes currently the most robust routers for a teleworker setup among all Cisco offerings from the Small Business Pro line of routers? 

The SRP500 series devices have been principally designed for small business office locations, rather than teleworker sites.  That said, I can't think of any reason why it shouldn't work (I personally haven't tested the IPSec connectivity between the SRP500 and SA500 series devices.

2. Do these routers support split IPSec VPN tunnels?

Yes, in fact that is all they support.

3. Do these routers work well with IP phones using IPSec VPN tunnels established by these routers?

Yes, this should work as you require.  However, please note that the FXS ports will NOT work via IPSec (these only work directly across the WAN at this time).

4. Do you know if Cisco offers Next Business Day replacement contracts on these routers?

Yes, this is available with the CON-SBS-SVC2 support package.

5. Has anyone tried to use the SIP functoinality of these routers to establish a SIP trunk to a UC320?

No, but bear in mind that the SRP500 presents its FXS ports as individual SIP User Agents, rather than via a consolidated trunk.

Hope that helps,

Andy

[telecastle]

Andrew,

Thanks for your answers.