VPN and Broadband

[davenz]

I have a client who has recently expanded and created a separate office. They rely on broadband for cloud storage/emails/etc. I am going to recommend putting in a separate broadband connection into the new office and create a VPN tunnel between the 2 sites.

However, is it possible to create a VPN tunnel to create one LAN for both locations AND at the same time using the same broadband connection to browse the Internet/cloud storage/etc without going over the VPN at the new location?

If so, can anyone recommend reliable VPN/broadband routers?

Many Thanks

 

[coffee]

I have a client who has recently expanded and created a separate office. They rely on broadband for cloud storage/emails/etc. I am going to recommend putting in a separate broadband connection into the new office and create a VPN tunnel between the 2 sites.

However, is it possible to create a VPN tunnel to create one LAN for both locations AND at the same time using the same broadband connection to browse the Internet/cloud storage/etc without going over the VPN at the new location?

If so, can anyone recommend reliable VPN/broadband routers?

Many Thanks

Currently, I use OpenVPN and a fantastic setup script to do just that. I do not use a router per say but a computer to handle the routing and firewall. Chiefly, Linux - CentOS 7.

https://github.com/Nyr/openvpn-install

 

[SAFCasper]

However, is it possible to create a VPN tunnel to create one LAN for both locations AND at the same time using the same broadband connection to browse the Internet/cloud storage/etc without going over the VPN at the new location?

Yep. Setup correctly traffic destined for the VPN subnet will be routed down the tunnel, everything else will be routed through the default gateway and out.

If so, can anyone recommend reliable VPN/broadband routers?

Many Thanks

We usually stick with DrayTek and an IPSec VPN. Very reliable and frequently updated with security patches.

The Ubiquti range also support site-to-site VPN setups (USG & Edgerouter). Don't have any experience with it myself but they are generally great at everything else so I assume this is no different.

 

[YeOldeStonecat]

By default, just about all firewalls that support "site to site VPN connections" will do this...the gateway at each site is the usual firewall/router LAN address and internet traffic goes that way. Traffic for the other end of the VPN tunnel gets routed through the VPN tunnel.

You can force traffic to go out through the VPN tunnel and hit the internet from the central site..if you want to. But that'll get slow (unless you have very high speeds)..and clog the VPN tunnel a bit.

DNS setup is where I see a lot of mistakes in WANs like this. Will this be an active directory site? Or just peer to peer computers?

Our preferred firewall is Untangle..it's VERY powerful and flexible when it comes to VPNs....you can easily set things up..and you can get incredibly complicated and fancy in how you do things if you wish.

And yup UBNT products are good at VPNs also.

 

[TurricanII]

What will the VPN be used for if they rely on cloud for email and file storage etc. Printing between offices? In that event you might just forward TCP ports in to Port 9100 of any printers at each office.