VPN settings for D-Link & Netopia routers

[time]

Yes Buck, this thread is for you.

An associate has been unable to establish (and keep) a VPN with a D-Link DI-808HV (804HV with 8 ports). The other end-point is either an identical D-Link router locally, or a more up-market Netopia model overseas (USA).

Six months ago, he had limited success with the Netopia by lowering the MTU at both ends, but the connection was slow and only lasted a short time. He suspects his ISP, but I don't know where to start there.

I loaned him a DrayTek, but still no joy - mind you, there's tons of options and I can't find a DrayTek configuration guide for interoperability with Netopia. Any sage words from anyone here that might cast some light on the darkness?

He's using IPsec, BTW.

 

[Buck]

Wow, my own thread! What shall I do? Why couldn't Time ask something that I am more familiar with, like cars, beer, or WD drives? Sorry, Time you asked the wrong person. Although I sell and install both products, I haven't set up VPN on either.

 

[time]

Well, a couple of months have passed and I know a fair bit more about VPNs. Router options don't appear complex and obscure, and the whole experience no longer feels like witchcraft.

So I'm making this post to warn people off D-Link (and other lesser brands) when it comes to usable VPN functionality.

On the one hand, the D-Link units include a surprising amount of configuration flexibility. However, I can't find reliable evidence that anyone has got past the most elementary connection, and that it worked even half as well as alternative solutions.

My own experience has been lots of hours and nothing but frustration. Oh sure, I can establish a VPN (most of the time), but regardless of what the other endpoint is (including another D-Link), the result has been ashes in my mouth. I'd suspect the hardware was defective except for the nearly identical results from a second unit (and different firmware).

D-Link claims 40 VPN tunnels for the 804HV/808HV. Frankly, performance seemed poor just as a simple NAT router, let alone with a single VPN running (or pretending to). And then there's the increasingly infuriating user interface.

In short, I think they're complete crap, and my wariness about using D-Link products for anything beyond simple networking has been reinforced for some time to come.

 

[Onomatopoeic]

There's always NetGear and the Cisco-acquired LinkSys.

Howabout a low-end Cisco or similar "professional" unit?