RVS4000: Can I use multipe routers in tandem?

[johnwilson9]

Hello,

We are using an RVS4000 for our small business and are quite happy with it, the only exception that there are not quite enough forwarding slots under Single Port Forwarding + Port Range Forwarding.  Can we use TWO RVS4000s in parallel, feeding each from a separate static IP feed on the WAN side and connecting to a common LAN on the LAN side?

-John Wilson

(Note: I previously posted this question I think in the wrong forum).

[Gerald Vogt]

Yes. It's possible. But it's going to be a mess. If you use two routers with two different public IP addresses you have to configure the gateways on your forwarding destinations manually to make sure that all traffic going into the internet will go out through the same router through which it came in before.

That means you have to decide for each server through which router it will send internet traffic (which will be the router on which you can forward ports to that server).

Considering the number of forwardings you need I think the better solution would be to get a better router which allows you to freely configure your static nat rules...

[johnwilson9]

Thanks for the fast reply.

Setting up the routing doesn't sound TOO painful - I just have to set the Default Gateway on the desination machines to use the correct gateway, right?

As far as upgrading to a bigger router: We like the RVS4000 because of it's simple and intuitive interface.  We don't have a full time admin guy to learn compex configuration procedures.  What router might you suggest?

Thanks

-John Wilson

[Te-Kai Liu]

>I just have to set the Default Gateway on the desination machines to use the correct gateway, right?

This will be taken care of automatically if you only enable DHCP Server on one of the RVS4000 routers.

[Gerald Vogt]

>I just have to set the Default Gateway on the desination machines to use the correct gateway, right?
This will be taken care of automatically if you only enable DHCP Server on one of the RVS4000 routers.

Only for those servers which use that RVS for forwarding and internet gateway. The other servers will have to configure the gateway manually to use the other RVS4000.

That would work, too, but I personally would prefer to set up either everything manually or automatically but not half-half...

[Gerald Vogt]

Correct. You have to set the correct gateway on the server. The gateway address must be the router which forwards ports to that server.

Regarding a bigger router, it depends on what your requirements are. The RV series routers (RV042, RV082, etc.) support one-to-one NAT allowing you to map additional public IP addresses to fixed LAN IP addresses. Depending on what you need this may be a better solution.

Otherwise, I think the next level in the Cisco portfolio would be a 500 series router (SR520).