CCDA/CCDP - Remote LAN to LAN Access

Author

Remote LAN to LAN Access

joopdog

2001-07-11, 2:03 pm

Remote LAN to LAN Access

I just got my CCNA. And you know CCNA just covers basic installation and concepts. I have a question. I have an office who's using a Novell network. They are using Microsoft Windows 98 and some ME as workstations. They have people who would like to work from home. Work-at-home connections to the company LAN as I would put it. How can I set this up?

How can I do this? And it has be done cheaply. This office works from donations and they're a non-profit organization. They are a school for the mentally challenged. How can I have them dial-in and connect to their network (Modem Dial In To Company LAN)? I'm guessing that I have the user dial-in on a certian number. That number is connected to 56K switched-circuit (from the service-provider or telco). Then it goes into a 1720 Cisco Router (WAN to Ethernet). From the router to a hub. The hub into the office network (LAN). Are there other ways of dialing into an office LAN? If so, let me know. Tell me step by step. What equipment is needed? What the service prodiver needs and what they do? Any other Remote Access concepts and/or any help would be appreciated.
Thanks

depamo

2001-07-16, 1:09 pm

To give you a litte info on me, I have quite a bit of experience on doing these types of things.

First thing to consider, is that the only way to get true 56k connections is to connect to another Digital device, Cisco ASx00 dial-up systems are the only Cisco systems that I know that allow this. Modem to modem (as you will see on the 2500 series routers) only allows you upto 33.6kbps maximum!

If this is still appealing to you, and you want then to dial in, you can get a 2500 series router (don't remeber the version off the top of my head but there are a couple with up to 8 modem lines on them, couple on ebay for pretty cheap, think like a 2524 or such). Question comes up about Security. A war dialer can eaisly hit your system and a hacker will have access to your system after a pretty simple brute force incursion.

Router setup isn't too difficult, TACAS+ server or Radius to control logging (you can get some pretty simple books on this, NT also supports these) is the recommended method, you can also use static passwords and logons on the router, just not a very good idea, everyone has the same logon and password, difficult to find a hack if everyone is using the same account.

The hack idea is usually to separate the systems, dial-up is on one side of the isolation lan and the network is just past the firewall. The 2524 is designed for this type of operation, you just need to hunker down and learn some terminology for Access Lists and some other for working with TACAS+ or Radius for authentication.

Good luck and hope I didn't make it more confusing! If you do want to get a good router for cheap, you can usually find a 2524 with 8-4 dial-in with the ethernet port to segragate for a small hook-up like this one. I saw some for upto $900.00 or down to $500.00, still a pretty good buy.

traceroute

2001-07-16, 11:10 pm

I have also used a Netgear 4 port 56k V.90 router (menu driven config) with built in 4 port hub as a quick and inexpensive ($199.00) solution. I just thought I would share my experience and let you know you can find it or other products like it at www.warehouse.com Good luck!

depamo

2001-07-21, 4:50 pm

If you have a server in your network at the business side, you can also have a bank of modems attached to the system. The cards are pretty simple, high concentration of serial ports that connects to external modems usually that can be bought off the shelf.

The telephone company can do one of two things. Cheaper is to have the number of phone lines installed that you need with different numbers and then just assign a number for each group or give them all the numbers and they keep trying until they get through on one of them. The other is to have the telephone company setup a rotary on one number that cycles through the lines that you have. This gives one number for upto as many lines that you would want.

Under Win2K you can go into Routing and Remote Access and the configuration wizard will take you through some simple steps to configure your network settings to get this done.

Aside from configuring Win2K Server, it is pretty straight forward. This would be the cheapest method of getting this to work if you already have the equipment on-hand.

Unix or Lynx can also handle this but the installation is a little more involved and different from device to device (modem concentrator is the different part for installation) but offers a low cost solution to these issues.

Cisco devices usually move from a hub and spoke technology where the Hub being some type of ASx00 concentrated dialup device with 700 series routers/hub/modem devices in the field.

There are a few Cisco Devices that conform close to what you were asking. These are low end SOHO systems that I have not dealt with but the 700 series routers have combinations of ethernet, hub, and upto 2 analog modems. The next level of devices that have the higher concentration of analog modem connections available are the 2509, 2511, AS2509-RJ and the AS2511-RJ. The 2509 and the AS2509-RJ both have 8 modems and the 2511 and the AS2511-RJ have 16 modems. The ASxxxx-RJ routers have the RJ11 jacks integrated within the unit. These also include an ethernet port and 2 serial ports. These are mid-range access servers/protocol translators and routers in a single device. They would meet your needs but wouldn't be too cheap. It could replace your existing router with its increased versatility.

There are competators that offer similar devices that are cheaper, this is the Cisco solution that fits into the boundaries that you had suggested.

At http://www.network-exchange.com/ they list the 8 modem 2509-RJ device at: $2695.00. Goto this link and you can take a look at them:
http://www.cisco.com/univercd/cc/td/doc/pcat/2500as.htm

And here is an example of how to set one up:
http://www.cisco.com/univercd/cc/td...t1/dialapp3.htm

Purchased new these routers will come with terminal access software for management that will make it pretty easy and straight forward. Again, this is the list price, you might be able to get one second hand for much cheaper (just make sure that you get the software with it if you do get it second hand).

Hope this helps and good luck!!

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