INTRODUCTION: A VPN is a connection to 2 computers or routers on different networks that allows private data to be sent securely over a shared or public network such as the Internet. A VPN establishes a “tunnel” or direct link that allows all applications or data on the remote network to be accessable on the local network.
An example of this would be a Home/Work scenario. If you setup a VPN between your Home and Work, you can access files from work when you are at home – all via a secure connection. In this tutorial below, we will setup a secure tunnel using two Linksys BEFSX41 routers – One at Home, and one at Work. We will use Dynamic IP connections (Cable/DSL) in order to save costs on a Static IP for each location. TZO Dynamic DNS will assist each router in connecting since a Dynamic IP can change at any time.
Step 1) Get (2) Linksys BEFSX41 Routers . You can use either hardware version 1 or hardware version 2 of these routers. If you use hardware version 1, make sure you have the latest firmware, currently at v1.52.10. Then proceed below to setup each router – One router at Home, One router at work
In order to use the VPN network, you must setup each router to use a different LAN IP Network setting. They must be different – In this example we leave the Home router at the default IP of 192.168.1.1 (default) and we set the Work VPN router to 10.1.1.1
Step 2) Enable File Sharing on the Windows XP Work PC. In this example, we have files on our Work PC that we want to be able to access from our Home, so we enable File sharing on our Work PC.
Need help setting up Windows XP File sharing on your system? - click here
Step 3 ) Signing up and Enabling the TZO.COM Dynamic DNS in your HOME Linksys VPN router
IMPORTANT! - We need to signup with two TZO free trial accounts, one for the HOME router, and one for the WORK router. Sign up for your free Linksys branded trial domains at http://Linksys.tzo.com or choose TZO branded domains at http://signup.tzo.com and select “SIGN UP FOR A FREE TRIAL”. You will then see the screenshot shown below.
Enter your choice for a domain name and enter the email address you wish to use. Click the CREATE MY FREE TRIAL DOMAIN NAME button and TZO will then immediately send your TZO Domain Name and TZO key to the email address you used.
Click BACK and create a second account, changing the domain name to reflect the WORK DDNS trial account. Save this email for later when we add the VPN tunnel and DDNS into the WORK router.
IMPORTANT: *** CHECK YOUR EMAIL ADDRESS NOW TO GET YOUR TZO KEY ***
Once you have the TZO Key, Domain name and Email address used written down or available from your email, log into your router by going to http://192.168.1.1 and using your username and password to log into the router. (default username is blank and password is admin)
Once you are logged into the router, click the DDNS link in the lower left of the menu as shown circled in the screenshot below:
You will now see a screenshot similar to the one below. This is the DDNS section of the router. You should enable the TZO Dynamic DNS service, and then input the Domain Name, TZO Key/Password and Email Address/Username into the router DDNS setup. Click Save Settings at the bottom of the page. You now have setup the TZO DDNS properly.
This domain name is good for 60 days for your use and testing. After 60 days the TZO Dynamic DNS service will expire. You can purchase the TZO standard Dynamic DNS service for this domain name at https://www.tzo.com/cgi-bin/Orders.cgi?ref=linksys before it expires. When ordering, use the domain name and the same email address you used when signing up.
The TZO Dynamic DNS is now monitoring your IP address of your broadband connection. If your IP address changes your TZO Dynamic DNS running in your router will then update the TZO DDNS servers.
Step 4) Setup the BEFSX41 tunnel on the HOME ROUTER. Since you are accessing files at work, we want to setup the VPN tunnel in the router at home first. Once you have the router plugged into your cable and DSL connection and you can get online, check email , surf the web, etc, you are ready to create the VPN tunnel.
You first need to log into your Linksys router at home. Log into the router by going to http://192.168.1.1 and using your username and password to log into the router as shown in the screenshot below:
(The Linksys default username and pw is blank/admin as shown below)
Step 5 ) Entering the VPN section of the Security Menu
Once you log into the router, Find and Click the SECURITY link in the top menu as shown circled in the screenshot below.
Once you get into the SECURITY menu in the router, you need to click the VPN link within the security menu as shown in the screenshot below.
Step 6 ) Adding the VPN tunnel in the Security Menu
You are now ready to create the VPN tunnel. As shown in the screenshot shown below, type in workvpn into the tunnel name field, and click ENABLED. Your VPN screen will then expand to allow more information to be set.
Step 7 ) Adding the VPN tunnel in the Security Menu
You are now ready to create the VPN tunnel. As shown in the screenshot shown below, type in workvpn into the tunnel name field, and click ENABLED. Your VPN screen will then expand to allow more information to be set. Type in your VPN tunnel exactly as shown in the screenshot below except there are 2 areas that are custom to your install. FQDN and PRESHARED KEY.
Where it asks for FQDN, put in the second TZO trial domain name you signed up for in Step 3. In our case, we have HomeVPN.TZO.COM and WorkVPN.TZO.COM. Your setup will be different.
Where is asks for PRESHARED KEY, use some string of letters and numbers, or some password that you have set. You need to keep this in a safe place, and you will need to use the identical PRESHARED KEY/Password when you setup the work router. Once you are done, scroll all the way to the bottom of the page and click SAVE SETTINGS (not shown) to save the tunnel information.
Step 8 ) Setting the ADVANCED VPN SETTINGS
Once you save all the VPN settings, you need to set the VPN Advanced settings. Click the ADVANCED SETTING button at the bottom of the VPN screen. You will then see the screen shown below. Set your Advanced settings exactly as shown as click save settings.
You are now finished with the setup of the HOME VPN router and should continue to the next step to setup the Work VPN router.
Step 9 ) Signing up and Enabling the TZO.COM Dynamic DNS in your WORK Linksys VPN router
IMPORTANT! – You will be using your second TZO free trial account that you signed up with in Step 3. The first one was used in the HOME router, and we will be using the second one for the WORK router.
IMPORTANT: *** CHECK YOUR EMAIL ADDRESS NOW TO GET YOUR TZO KEY ***
Once you have the TZO Key, Domain name and Email address used written down or available from your email, log into your router by going to http://10.1.1.1 and use your username and password to log into the router. (default username is blank and password is admin)
Once you are logged into the router, click the DDNS link in the lower left of the menu as shown circled in the screenshot below:
You will now see a screenshot similar to the one below. This is the DDNS section of the router. You should enable the TZO Dynamic DNS service, and then input the second trial Domain Name, TZO Key/Password and Email Address/Username into the router DDNS setup. Click Save Settings at the bottom of the page. You now have setup the TZO DDNS properly.
This domain name is good for 60 days for your use and testing. After 60 days the TZO Dynamic DNS service will expire. You can purchase the TZO standard Dynamic DNS service for this domain name at https://www.tzo.com/cgi-bin/Orders.cgi?ref=linksys before it expires. When ordering, use the domain name and the same email address you used when signing up.
The TZO Dynamic DNS is now monitoring your IP address of your broadband connection. If your IP address changes your TZO Dynamic DNS running in your router will then update the TZO DDNS servers.
Step 10) Setup the BEFSX41 tunnel on the WORK ROUTER. We now want to setup the VPN tunnel in the router at work. Once you have the router plugged into your cable and DSL connection at the work location and you can get online, check email , surf the web, etc, you are ready to create the VPN tunnel.
Log into the router by going to http://10.1.1.1 and using your username and password to log into the router as shown in the screenshot below:
(The Linksys default username and pw is blank/admin as shown below)
Step 11) Entering the VPN section of the Security Menu
Once you log into the router, Find and Click the SECURITY link in the top menu as shown circled in the screenshot below.
Once you get into the SECURITY menu in the router, you need to click the VPN link within the security menu as shown in the screenshot below.
Step 12 ) Adding the VPN tunnel in the Security Menu
You are now ready to create the VPN tunnel. As shown in the screenshot shown below, type in workvpn into the tunnel name field, and click ENABLED. Your VPN screen will then expand to allow more information to be set.
Step 13 ) Adding the VPN tunnel in the Security Menu
You are now ready to create the VPN tunnel. As shown in the screenshot shown below, type in workvpn into the tunnel name field, and click ENABLED. Your VPN screen will then expand to allow more information to be set. Type in your VPN tunnel exactly as shown in the screenshot below. Where it asks for PRESHARED KEY, use some string of letters and numbers, or some password that you have set. You need to keep this in a safe place, and you will need to use the identical PRESHARED KEY/Password when you setup the work router. Once you are done, scroll all the way to the bottom of the page and click SAVE SETTINGS (not shown) to save the tunnel information.
Step 14 ) Setting the ADVANCED VPN SETTINGS on the Work VPN router
Once you save all the VPN settings, you need to set the VPN Advanced settings. Click the ADVANCED SETTING button at the bottom of the VPN screen. You will then see the screen shown below. Set your Advanced settings exactly as shown as click save settings.
You are now finished with the setup of the HOME VPN router and should continue to the next step to setup the Work VPN router.
Step 15 ) Connecting the two routers to create a VPN Tunnel
Once you have configured both routers, you should then go back to the HOME location and log into the router at Home. You should then go to the VPN section of the security menu and click the CONNECT button. Your VPN tunnel should then be connected. You should see the Status at the bottom of the VPN screen say CONNECTED. If not, check all your VPN settings, Advanced VPN settings and DDNS settings. Try again.
Once you get the VPN connected, you should then be able to share the files within the folder you setup at your work PC. You should first try to PING at work by going to the Start button, selecting RUN and then typing CMD. This opens a DOS window. Then type PING 192.168.1.200
If you see a reply, this means the VPN is connected and you can then open up the shared drives on the WORK PC. To do this, Hit the Start button again, then select RUN and type in \\192.168.1.200 and hit enter. You should then see a dialog box pop open with the shared drives we setup in Step 2. |
