Vodafone Connect Router IPSec VPN - Anyone got it to work?

[lyonsj400]

Dear all,

The Vodafone connect router supports IPSec VPN apparently. In Expert Mode: Settings - Configuration - VPN Settings. Anyone got it to work? There are two fields missing for encryption algorithm and hash algorithm so I presume there are some defaults set which we can't see. No idea why. Another c**k up. Anyone know what these defaults are?

@Vodastaff, don't ask me to contact technical support and don't give me a chat URL. Already been there. They haven't got a clue. They don't know how to spell VPN.

[Nabs]

@lyonsj400 Are you trying to set up a VPN connection into your home network or are you tring to connect the VC router to a workplace?

[lyonsj400]

I rent a rack in a data center where I have several VMs sitting behind my ASA firewall. I need to connect the Vodafone connect router to my ASA over the Internet using an IPSec VPN. For this, the encryption and hash have to match at both ends of the VPN tunnel but these parameters aren't configurable on the VF connect router. So until I know what they are on the VF connect router (hidden and not configurable), I can't configure the ASA to match.

As I mentioned previously, the tech team didn't know what a VPN was until I explained it - even though it is a feature on their own router. So I had no hope of getting anything out of them.

[Nabs]

Ah fair enough, they really need to open the router up for more advances users, or change their stance and allow you to use your own hardware.

Since the broadband produt is supported by a dedicated team I'm not sure there is anyone one the forum who would be able to assist at the moment. I think your only option is to persist with the "technical" support, maybe ask for 2nd or 3rd level support?

[lyonsj400]

Yes, that was tech 2. There was no one else more qualified than these guys. I guess I could try going to Hawaii 5-0, I mean Huaweii.

But on a serious note, I'm feeling badly let down by Vodafone and really regretting signing up with them.

[Nabs]

Thats unbelievable!

Do you have your own hardware that would do what youre looking for? You could push them for your VDSL username and password so you could use your own router. Some people have reported on here that ita possible to get these details though the official answer is no.

Dont blame you at all! If yure still within your cooling off period you could cancel and go with another provider who does allow you to do what youre looking to do.

[lyonsj400]

Yes, any of the modern VDSL routers you can buy, Netgear, TP-Link, D-Link etc, would have this feature and hence these settings would be configurable. Even the Huawei that Vodafone provide does support this. Unfortunately the firmware doesn't give access to these two crucial parameters for VPN operation and Vodastaff don't know what the defaults are.

I'm more than half way into my term and will be off into the sunset when this is up. I will make sure that none of my acquaintances makes the same mistake of joining an ISP whose tech team don't know how to use the features of the router that they provide.

[Nabs]

Until such time that Vodafone open up their platform to basic features like this I can only agree with you!

It's probably not possible but would there be any option to put a second router onto your network and just use the VF box as a modem?

[lyonsj400]

Thats exactly how I'm using it at the moment. My own router is sitting behind the VF router and doing all the things that the VF router can't do. Less than ideal, but it will do until the end of my contract.

From other posts on this forum, Vodafone have no plans to release any further firmware updates for their router.

[Nabs]

Ah ok, at least you're still able to get connected one way or another then.

It's extremely disappointing. If they have no plans to continue support for the router then they should be letting customers use alternatives.

[Acsnet83]

Hi how are you passing the traffic through to the router behind Vodafones? Many thanks

[RZC]

Hi lyonsj40, can you please advise how you got your router behind the Vodafone one to work? I am trying to set up an OpenVpn on my Lynksis dd wrt but I can't get connection at all (even without the VPN on). I am no expert on these things but I did not have this issue when I was with Sky so I pressume that there is something in the Vodafone router that is not letting me to connect.

Many thanks

[RZC]

Hi lyonjs400, can you please advise how you got your router behind the Vodafone one to work? I am trying to set up an OpenVPN on my Lynksis but I am not able to get connection at all (even with VPN options off). I am no expert but I didn't have this issue when I was with Sky so I pressume that the Vodafone router is blocking something.

Many thanks

[lyonsj400]

Sorry for the late reply guys. I don't come to this forum anymore as I finally got my username and password after months of cursing. I hear that the policy has changed now and as long as you have an Openreach approved router, VF will give you your details too. As far as your query goes, you need a default route on your own router pointing to the VF router. The VF router is connected to the Internet. The VPN settings are then configured on your own router. The IP network between your router and the VF router can be anything in the private ranges. I used the following:

INTERNET ---- VF RTR ----  192.168.1.0/30 --- TP-LINK --- 172.29.1.0/24

The VF router doesn't block anything as long as traffic is sourced from the inside of the network. Any further queries, let me know. Happy to help. As I said, you're better off trying to get your PPPoE login details and use them on your own router now.