Router Remote Access Connections

In this chapter I'll focus on using a Cisco router for remote access sessions. I'll discuss how you can use a router as a VPN gateway (Easy VPN Server), terminating remote access sessions from client devices, like the Cisco VPN Client software and VPN 3002 hardware clients. Because routers commonly are used for LAN-to-LAN (L2L) sessions, they're typically not used as Easy VPN Servers; however, for a small number of remote access clients, it is common to use an existing router for this function instead of purchasing a stand-alone remote access device like a VPN 3000 concentrator. I'll discuss how to terminate both L2L and remote access sessions on the same router.

I'll also discuss how you can use a router as an Easy VPN Server and how to set up a small-end router as a remote access client, called an Easy VPN Remote. Routers commonly are used as Remotes for small office, home office (SOHO) networks when you need complex QoS policies or have Internet connections that are non-Ethernet-based, such as ISDN, xDSL, or serial. At the end of the chapter I'll discuss a new remote access feature supported by Cisco Routers: WebVPN. Starting in late releases of 12.3T, a Cisco router can be used to terminate WebVPN sessions.

Note

Because of page constraints, I'll focus only on IPsec and WebVPN remote access VPNs in this chapter; PPTP and L2TP/IPsec are not covered.