VPN problems with Linksys WRT300N .. but WRT54GS works!

My trusty BEFSR41 failed after many years of service (it was unable to
get IP address lease from the cable modem). I purchased a WRT300N,
figuring that I might use the Wifi feature in the future, even though I
don't have any wireless devices right now.

So, I install the new router, change my password, disable the Wireless
features, verify that the VPN passthrough are enabled. My 2 PC's
(running XP Pro) in the LAN can access the internet just fine .. until I
initiate VPN (Cisco client) on the PC I use for work. As soon as that
VPN is established, I lose all connectivity on that PC. I cannot ping
any devices at work or on the internet. I even disabled the firewall
features on the router, but to no avail. All functionality was restored
when I disconnected from the VPN.

I returned that router and installed a WRT54GS. Everything, including
VPN worked right off the bat (I changed the password and disabled
wireless on this as well.). Again, VPN passthrough (all 3 protocols)
was enabled (by default) in both routers.

I can only conclude that there is some bug in the WRT300N firmware.

The hardware and firmware versions of my devices were:

WRT300N: ver 1.1 Firmware 1.51.2 dated 6/4/07
WRT54GS: ver 7.0 Firmware 7.50.0 dated 3/20/07

Any ideas, comments?
----------
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Aloke Prasad <aprasad123@columbus.rr.invalid.com> hath wroth:

>My trusty BEFSR41 failed after many years of service (it was unable to
>get IP address lease from the cable modem). I purchased a WRT300N,
>figuring that I might use the Wifi feature in the future, even though I
>don't have any wireless devices right now.
>
>So, I install the new router, change my password, disable the Wireless
>features, verify that the VPN passthrough are enabled. My 2 PC's
>(running XP Pro) in the LAN can access the internet just fine .. until I
>initiate VPN (Cisco client) on the PC I use for work. As soon as that
>VPN is established, I lose all connectivity on that PC. I cannot ping
>any devices at work or on the internet.

Can you ping the router?

>I even disabled the firewall
>features on the router, but to no avail. All functionality was restored
>when I disconnected from the VPN.
>
>I returned that router and installed a WRT54GS. Everything, including
>VPN worked right off the bat (I changed the password and disabled
>wireless on this as well.). Again, VPN passthrough (all 3 protocols)
>was enabled (by default) in both routers.
>
>I can only conclude that there is some bug in the WRT300N firmware.
>
>The hardware and firmware versions of my devices were:
>
>WRT300N: ver 1.1 Firmware 1.51.2 dated 6/4/07
>WRT54GS: ver 7.0 Firmware 7.50.0 dated 3/20/07

Those are the current versions.

>Any ideas, comments?

Check what IP address is being delivered by the remote VPN server.
Run:
start -> run -> cmd <enter>
IPCONFIG
With the VPN connected, you should have TWO different IP addresses,
and gateways. What are they? The gateway is especially critical
because it probably points to the corporate VPN server, which is where
you should be getting your remote connectivity.

IF the IP's look ok, then try:
route print
That's the routing table, and yes, it's difficult to read and
understand. Compare what you get with the two routers and see if
there's anything different. They should be identical. The line with
"default gateway" is especially important as that's where you packets
are going. This is on a different VPN issue, but shows what to
expect:
<http://groups.google.com/group/alt.internet.wireless/msg/adfe2f8f165f0e66>

Yet another guess(tm). Does your local network use the same class C
IP block as the office LAN at the other end of the VPN tunnel? For
example, are you using 192.168.1.xxx for both work and home? If so,
change the IP block at home to 192.168.something_else.xxx and see if
it works. Most routers will deal with the inevitable duplicate IP's
and convoluteed routing but many do not.



--
Jeff Liebermann jeffl@cruzio.com
150 Felker St #D http://www.LearnByDestroying.com
Santa Cruz CA 95060 http://802.11junk.com
Skype: JeffLiebermann AE6KS 831-336-2558

Jeff Liebermann wrote:
> Aloke Prasad <aprasad123@columbus.rr.invalid.com> hath wroth:
>
>> My trusty BEFSR41 failed after many years of service (it was unable to
>> get IP address lease from the cable modem). I purchased a WRT300N,
>> figuring that I might use the Wifi feature in the future, even though I
>> don't have any wireless devices right now.
>>
>> So, I install the new router, change my password, disable the Wireless
>> features, verify that the VPN passthrough are enabled. My 2 PC's
>> (running XP Pro) in the LAN can access the internet just fine .. until I
>> initiate VPN (Cisco client) on the PC I use for work. As soon as that
>> VPN is established, I lose all connectivity on that PC. I cannot ping
>> any devices at work or on the internet.
>
> Can you ping the router?
>
>> I even disabled the firewall
>> features on the router, but to no avail. All functionality was restored
>> when I disconnected from the VPN.
>>
>> I returned that router and installed a WRT54GS. Everything, including
>> VPN worked right off the bat (I changed the password and disabled
>> wireless on this as well.). Again, VPN passthrough (all 3 protocols)
>> was enabled (by default) in both routers.
>>
>> I can only conclude that there is some bug in the WRT300N firmware.
>>
>> The hardware and firmware versions of my devices were:
>>
>> WRT300N: ver 1.1 Firmware 1.51.2 dated 6/4/07
>> WRT54GS: ver 7.0 Firmware 7.50.0 dated 3/20/07
>
> Those are the current versions.
>
>> Any ideas, comments?
>
> Check what IP address is being delivered by the remote VPN server.
> Run:
> start -> run -> cmd <enter>
> IPCONFIG
> With the VPN connected, you should have TWO different IP addresses,
> and gateways. What are they? The gateway is especially critical
> because it probably points to the corporate VPN server, which is where
> you should be getting your remote connectivity.
>
> IF the IP's look ok, then try:
> route print
> That's the routing table, and yes, it's difficult to read and
> understand. Compare what you get with the two routers and see if
> there's anything different. They should be identical. The line with
> "default gateway" is especially important as that's where you packets
> are going. This is on a different VPN issue, but shows what to
> expect:
> <http://groups.google.com/group/alt.internet.wireless/msg/adfe2f8f165f0e66>
>
> Yet another guess(tm). Does your local network use the same class C
> IP block as the office LAN at the other end of the VPN tunnel? For
> example, are you using 192.168.1.xxx for both work and home? If so,
> change the IP block at home to 192.168.something_else.xxx and see if
> it works. Most routers will deal with the inevitable duplicate IP's
> and convoluteed routing but many do not.

It is difficult to troubleshoot the WRT300N now, as I have returned it
to the store. I was wondering if anyone else has experienced problems
with VPN using this router.

Aloke Prasad <aprasad123@columbus.rr.invalid.com> hath wroth:
>It is difficult to troubleshoot the WRT300N now, as I have returned it
>to the store. I was wondering if anyone else has experienced problems
>with VPN using this router.

Google is amazingly helpful for such things.
Searching for "VPN WRT300N", Google excavates:
<http://forums.techguy.org/networking/500775-solved-vpn-problem-over-wireless.html>
<http://forums.linksys.com/linksys/board/message?board.id=Wireless_Routers&message.id=7682>
<http://forums.linksys.com/linksys/board/message?board.id=Wireless_Routers&message.id=8648>
<http://www.linksysinfo.org/forums/showthread.php?p=304570>
(a bunch more...)

The first one looks almost exactly the problem you were having.
However, it was solved by a firmware upgrade, so that's not it.
It's interesting that ALL the users that were having problems were
using the Cisco VPN client.

--
Jeff Liebermann jeffl@cruzio.com
150 Felker St #D http://www.LearnByDestroying.com
Santa Cruz CA 95060 http://802.11junk.com
Skype: JeffLiebermann AE6KS 831-336-2558