VPN using Server 2003 or Netgear router

I have a simple question about setting up a VPN, I am trying to create a VPN
so remote users can access an office network. I have a Netgear FVL328 which
I can use to set up the VPN connection, but also have a server with MS
Server 2003 which I could also use to handle the VPN connections.

Which is the better option to use and why? the Netgear? or the server?

If going with the Netgear can anyone recommend any good free VPN clients
that I can use to connect to the Netgear router?

Thanks.

To use Netgear VPN, you need to pay for the client software. Windows VPN is better to handle name resolution. using Netgear as VPN will free some resources from the Windows. I would use the Windows as VPN.

Bob Lin, MS-MVP, MCSE & CNE
Networking, Internet, Routing, VPN Troubleshooting on http://www.ChicagoTech.net
How to Setup Windows, Network, VPN & Remote Access on http://www.HowToNetworking.com
"Homer Jay" <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote in message news:(E-Mail Removed)...
I have a simple question about setting up a VPN, I am trying to create a VPN
so remote users can access an office network. I have a Netgear FVL328 which
I can use to set up the VPN connection, but also have a server with MS
Server 2003 which I could also use to handle the VPN connections.

Which is the better option to use and why? the Netgear? or the server?

If going with the Netgear can anyone recommend any good free VPN clients
that I can use to connect to the Netgear router?

Thanks.

"Homer Jay" <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote in message
news:(E-Mail Removed)...
>I have a simple question about setting up a VPN, I am trying to create a
>VPN
> so remote users can access an office network. I have a Netgear FVL328
> which
> I can use to set up the VPN connection, but also have a server with MS
> Server 2003 which I could also use to handle the VPN connections.
>
> Which is the better option to use and why? the Netgear? or the server?

Your Topology design says you would use the Netgear box,...unless you like
to make things complicated and prone the problems. The Server2003 RRAS is
pretty good, probably better than the Netgear box's abilities, but the
server is not the "edge device" on the LAN, so the Topology design of the
LAN says the most logical one to use is the Netgear box.

> If going with the Netgear can anyone recommend any good free VPN clients
> that I can use to connect to the Netgear router?

Doesn't need a "client". Use the regular Dialup Networking already in
Windows.

--
Phillip Windell [MCP, MVP, CCNA]
www.wandtv.com

Ok,
I didn't realize the Netgear device needed a special client.
Sorry,


--
Phillip Windell [MCP, MVP, CCNA]
www.wandtv.com

"Robert L [MVP - Networking]" <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote in message
news:(E-Mail Removed)...
To use Netgear VPN, you need to pay for the client software. Windows VPN is
better to handle name resolution. using Netgear as VPN will free some
resources from the Windows. I would use the Windows as VPN.

Bob Lin, MS-MVP, MCSE & CNE
Networking, Internet, Routing, VPN Troubleshooting on
http://www.ChicagoTech.net
How to Setup Windows, Network, VPN & Remote Access on
http://www.HowToNetworking.com
"Homer Jay" <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote in message
news:(E-Mail Removed)...
I have a simple question about setting up a VPN, I am trying to create a VPN
so remote users can access an office network. I have a Netgear FVL328 which
I can use to set up the VPN connection, but also have a server with MS
Server 2003 which I could also use to handle the VPN connections.

Which is the better option to use and why? the Netgear? or the server?

If going with the Netgear can anyone recommend any good free VPN clients
that I can use to connect to the Netgear router?

Thanks.

And yes, I agree that in that case Server2003 should be used for the VPN....

Phil

"Phillip Windell" <@.> wrote in message
news:(E-Mail Removed)...
> Ok,
> I didn't realize the Netgear device needed a special client.
> Sorry,
>
>
> --
> Phillip Windell [MCP, MVP, CCNA]
> www.wandtv.com
>
> "Robert L [MVP - Networking]" <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote in message
> news:(E-Mail Removed)...
> To use Netgear VPN, you need to pay for the client software. Windows VPN
> is better to handle name resolution. using Netgear as VPN will free some
> resources from the Windows. I would use the Windows as VPN.
>
> Bob Lin, MS-MVP, MCSE & CNE
> Networking, Internet, Routing, VPN Troubleshooting on
> http://www.ChicagoTech.net
> How to Setup Windows, Network, VPN & Remote Access on
> http://www.HowToNetworking.com
> "Homer Jay" <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote in message
> news:(E-Mail Removed)...
> I have a simple question about setting up a VPN, I am trying to create a
> VPN
> so remote users can access an office network. I have a Netgear FVL328
> which
> I can use to set up the VPN connection, but also have a server with MS
> Server 2003 which I could also use to handle the VPN connections.
>
> Which is the better option to use and why? the Netgear? or the server?
>
> If going with the Netgear can anyone recommend any good free VPN clients
> that I can use to connect to the Netgear router?
>
> Thanks.
>

Thanks for the replies, now I know that the Netgear need's the special
client that probably explains why I had been having problems trying to set
it up.

Will go ahead and use Windows to manage the VPN now. Any good links to where
I can read up on some info for creating the VPN? My server only has 1 NIC,
but I read here
http://technet2.microsoft.com/Window....mspx?mfr=true
that it is possible, just requires a custom configuration. The info at that
site is very helpful, but I am not 100% clear on what I am doing (although
again this could be because I had been trying to set up the Netgear, and
have so far only lightly dabbled with Server 2003)

I also can't find anything in my router documentation to open IP Protocol
ID/Number 47, but there is an option listed as "Enable VPN Passthrough
(IPSec, PPTP, L2TP)" I am assuming this does the same thing as open IP
Protocol ID 47.

Thanks again. Much appreciated.

"Phillip Windell" <@.> wrote in message
news:(E-Mail Removed)...
> Ok,
> I didn't realize the Netgear device needed a special client.
> Sorry,
>
>
> --
> Phillip Windell [MCP, MVP, CCNA]
> www.wandtv.com
>
> "Robert L [MVP - Networking]" <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote in message
> news:(E-Mail Removed)...
> To use Netgear VPN, you need to pay for the client software. Windows VPN
> is better to handle name resolution. using Netgear as VPN will free some
> resources from the Windows. I would use the Windows as VPN.
>
> Bob Lin, MS-MVP, MCSE & CNE
> Networking, Internet, Routing, VPN Troubleshooting on
> http://www.ChicagoTech.net
> How to Setup Windows, Network, VPN & Remote Access on
> http://www.HowToNetworking.com
> "Homer Jay" <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote in message
> news:(E-Mail Removed)...
> I have a simple question about setting up a VPN, I am trying to create a
> VPN
> so remote users can access an office network. I have a Netgear FVL328
> which
> I can use to set up the VPN connection, but also have a server with MS
> Server 2003 which I could also use to handle the VPN connections.
>
> Which is the better option to use and why? the Netgear? or the server?
>
> If going with the Netgear can anyone recommend any good free VPN clients
> that I can use to connect to the Netgear router?
>
> Thanks.
>

"Homer Jay" <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote in message
news:(E-Mail Removed)...
> Will go ahead and use Windows to manage the VPN now. Any good links to
> where I can read up on some info for creating the VPN? My server only has
> 1 NIC, but I read here
> http://technet2.microsoft.com/Window....mspx?mfr=true
> that it is possible, just requires a custom configuration. The info at
> that site is very helpful, but I am not 100% clear on what I am doing

Maybe Robert can help there. I've never messed with a one-nic RRAS box,...it
just sounds "ugly" to me.

You will need the Netgear box to be able to perform "VPN Passthrough" so
that it can pass the VPN Tunnel "unmolested" back to the RRAS box where it
can terminate on the RRAS box. If the Netgear box can't do that, then it
has screwed you (twice now) and you would have to replace it with something
that can do this.

--
Phillip Windell [MCP, MVP, CCNA]
www.wandtv.com
-----------------------------------------------------
Understanding the ISA 2004 Access Rule Processing
http://www.isaserver.org/articles/IS...cessRules.html

Troubleshooting Client Authentication on Access Rules in ISA Server 2004
http://download.microsoft.com/downlo...7/ts_rules.doc

Microsoft Internet Security & Acceleration Server: Guidance
http://www.microsoft.com/isaserver/t...dance/2004.asp
http://www.microsoft.com/isaserver/t...dance/2000.asp

Microsoft Internet Security & Acceleration Server: Partners
http://www.microsoft.com/isaserver/partners/default.asp

Deployment Guidelines for ISA Server 2004 Enterprise Edition
http://www.microsoft.com/technet/pro...isaserver.mspx
-----------------------------------------------------

1. Enable VPN Passthrough will enable GRE. However, you do need to forward port 1723 to the server assuming you setup PPTP VPN.
2. You should be able to setup VPN on windows 2003 using one NIC. This how to may help,
How to setup VPN
How to setup VPN server on 2003 server How to setup VPN on w2k server with one NIC How to use PPTP through a Cisco PIX Start Cisco VPN before logon Windows ...
www.howtonetworking.com/Windows/vpnsetup.htm


Bob Lin, MS-MVP, MCSE & CNE
Networking, Internet, Routing, VPN Troubleshooting on http://www.ChicagoTech.net
How to Setup Windows, Network, VPN & Remote Access on http://www.HowToNetworking.com
"Homer Jay" <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote in message news:(E-Mail Removed)...
Thanks for the replies, now I know that the Netgear need's the special
client that probably explains why I had been having problems trying to set
it up.

Will go ahead and use Windows to manage the VPN now. Any good links to where
I can read up on some info for creating the VPN? My server only has 1 NIC,
but I read here
http://technet2.microsoft.com/Window....mspx?mfr=true
that it is possible, just requires a custom configuration. The info at that
site is very helpful, but I am not 100% clear on what I am doing (although
again this could be because I had been trying to set up the Netgear, and
have so far only lightly dabbled with Server 2003)

I also can't find anything in my router documentation to open IP Protocol
ID/Number 47, but there is an option listed as "Enable VPN Passthrough
(IPSec, PPTP, L2TP)" I am assuming this does the same thing as open IP
Protocol ID 47.

Thanks again. Much appreciated.

"Phillip Windell" <@.> wrote in message
news:(E-Mail Removed)...
> Ok,
> I didn't realize the Netgear device needed a special client.
> Sorry,
>
>
> --
> Phillip Windell [MCP, MVP, CCNA]
> www.wandtv.com
>
> "Robert L [MVP - Networking]" <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote in message
> news:(E-Mail Removed)...
> To use Netgear VPN, you need to pay for the client software. Windows VPN
> is better to handle name resolution. using Netgear as VPN will free some
> resources from the Windows. I would use the Windows as VPN.
>
> Bob Lin, MS-MVP, MCSE & CNE
> Networking, Internet, Routing, VPN Troubleshooting on
> http://www.ChicagoTech.net
> How to Setup Windows, Network, VPN & Remote Access on
> http://www.HowToNetworking.com
> "Homer Jay" <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote in message
> news:(E-Mail Removed)...
> I have a simple question about setting up a VPN, I am trying to create a
> VPN
> so remote users can access an office network. I have a Netgear FVL328
> which
> I can use to set up the VPN connection, but also have a server with MS
> Server 2003 which I could also use to handle the VPN connections.
>
> Which is the better option to use and why? the Netgear? or the server?
>
> If going with the Netgear can anyone recommend any good free VPN clients
> that I can use to connect to the Netgear router?
>
> Thanks.
>