Dual Band Routing with VPN - Canadian TV, Computing and Home Theatre Forums

willise · 2011-11-10, 12:42 PM

I was curious to know if I can run a VPN on the 5.0 GHz channel while running my regular ISP connection and home network on the 2.4 GHz channel?

I would like to set up a new VPN to access geolocked sites in the US. I know I can do it with a DD-WRT router, as I have done it that way in the past. My DD-WRT router is just about dead and before I buy a new one, I thought I would look into this more creative way

My new router is a Netgear WNDR3700 Dual Band.

Thanks!!

JamesK · 2011-11-10, 12:50 PM

Assuming that it's capable of different connections on the 2 bands, there's still only one internet access and the VPN would normally be on the router, regardless of band. Some routers support VLANs & different SSIDs. Those may be able to be configured for a different connection. That sort of device is typically used in a business or other public location where one SSID connects to the internal network and the other, for public access, connects only to the internet.

willise · 2011-11-10, 12:56 PM

Thanks for the reply.

I know that I can set up each band with a separate SSID and password, so that isn't an issue. With regards to a separate connection - I don't understand the need for that. With my old setup, I had a Linksys set up as my VPN router and my ISP router providing internet to the house. When I wanted to watch Hulu, for example, I'd just connect to the Linksys and using the StrongVPN connection, I'd receive a US IP address. However, the gateway to the internet is still my ISP router.

IT seems like, in theory, it would work, but I don't know enough about networking to figure it out.

JamesK · 2011-11-10, 02:03 PM

^^^^
Where did the VPN terminate? It's often on the router or could be on your computer. In the example I gave above, the different SSIDs were used to separate public from internal traffic. The networks could be set up with Virtual LANs (VLAN) so that no matter where the Wifi was accessed, the traffic would be carried to the appropriate location. One job where I used this was at a senior's residence. There was one VLAN for internal networking, one for VoIP, one for resident & guest Internet access and a 4th for network management. If you connected to one SSID, you'd be on the VLAN used for the internal network and the other SSID would connect only to the Internet. The wired connection (via ADSL) in the resident's rooms also connected only to the Internet. The access points were dual band, with both SSIDs appearing on both bands.

PhotoJim · 2012-04-26, 12:23 PM

If your Internet service will provide you with multiple public-facing IPs, you could get a second router and do what you are proposing. You'd need a small Ethernet switch to connect to your cablemodem or DSL modem, and then to your two routers. I do this in my home because I get two static public IPs - one goes to myrouter, the other goes to the second NIC in my server so that it has un-NATted Internet access.

2011-11-10, 12:42 PM	#1
willise Join Date: Apr 2007 Posts: 293	Dual Band Routing with VPN I was curious to know if I can run a VPN on the 5.0 GHz channel while running my regular ISP connection and home network on the 2.4 GHz channel? I would like to set up a new VPN to access geolocked sites in the US. I know I can do it with a DD-WRT router, as I have done it that way in the past. My DD-WRT router is just about dead and before I buy a new one, I thought I would look into this more creative way My new router is a Netgear WNDR3700 Dual Band. Thanks!!

2011-11-10, 12:50 PM	#2
JamesK Veteran Join Date: May 2009 Location: Mississauga Posts: 5,042	Assuming that it's capable of different connections on the 2 bands, there's still only one internet access and the VPN would normally be on the router, regardless of band. Some routers support VLANs & different SSIDs. Those may be able to be configured for a different connection. That sort of device is typically used in a business or other public location where one SSID connects to the internal network and the other, for public access, connects only to the internet. __________________ The following program contains immature subject matter. Viewer discretion is advised.

2011-11-10, 02:03 PM	#4
JamesK Veteran Join Date: May 2009 Location: Mississauga Posts: 5,042	^^^^ Where did the VPN terminate? It's often on the router or could be on your computer. In the example I gave above, the different SSIDs were used to separate public from internal traffic. The networks could be set up with Virtual LANs (VLAN) so that no matter where the Wifi was accessed, the traffic would be carried to the appropriate location. One job where I used this was at a senior's residence. There was one VLAN for internal networking, one for VoIP, one for resident & guest Internet access and a 4th for network management. If you connected to one SSID, you'd be on the VLAN used for the internal network and the other SSID would connect only to the Internet. The wired connection (via ADSL) in the resident's rooms also connected only to the Internet. The access points were dual band, with both SSIDs appearing on both bands. __________________ The following program contains immature subject matter. Viewer discretion is advised.

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2011-11-10, 12:56 PM	#3
willise Join Date: Apr 2007 Posts: 293	Thanks for the reply. I know that I can set up each band with a separate SSID and password, so that isn't an issue. With regards to a separate connection - I don't understand the need for that. With my old setup, I had a Linksys set up as my VPN router and my ISP router providing internet to the house. When I wanted to watch Hulu, for example, I'd just connect to the Linksys and using the StrongVPN connection, I'd receive a US IP address. However, the gateway to the internet is still my ISP router. IT seems like, in theory, it would work, but I don't know enough about networking to figure it out.

2012-04-26, 12:23 PM	#5
PhotoJim Join Date: Dec 2003 Location: Regina, SK, CA Posts: 618	If your Internet service will provide you with multiple public-facing IPs, you could get a second router and do what you are proposing. You'd need a small Ethernet switch to connect to your cablemodem or DSL modem, and then to your two routers. I do this in my home because I get two static public IPs - one goes to myrouter, the other goes to the second NIC in my server so that it has un-NATted Internet access.