How to avoid double NAT with second router?
AdamTX1
Newbie

I have FIOS service with the Verizon-supplied Westell 9100EM as my primary router.  I currently have a Cisco RV180W connected to a LAN port in the Westell.  All of my home computers and other ethernet devices connect to the Cisco router.  Equipment connected to either LAN / subnet has full internet access.  I am trying to use Cisco's QuickVPN client to establish a VPN connection from remote locations to my home LAN (via the VPN functionality on the Cisco router).  I cannot get this to work and Cisco tells me it is because QuickVPN will never work if the Cisco router's WAN interface has a non-routable IP address (ie, is double NAT'ed).  That is indeed the situation for me.  So I am trying to figure out what options I have to try and make this work.  The two things I think may be worth trying:  bridging or putting the Cisco router into the Westell's DMZ.  Does anyone have experience with similar issue / resolution, using one of these approaches (and guidance regarding the steps to make it work)?  Or any other ideas?

Thanks,

Adam

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Re: How to avoid double NAT with second router?
CaptainSTX
Contributor - Level 3

Putting the Cisco into the Westell's DMZ isn't going to be enough.   The approach that will most likely work is to make your Cisco router your primary router and  hang the Westrell off it to handle FIOS specific network functions.  Read the article linked above and decide which option will work for you.

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Re: How to avoid double NAT with second router?
gs0b
Community Leader
Community Leader
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Re: How to avoid double NAT with second router?
CaptainSTX
Contributor - Level 3

Putting the Cisco into the Westell's DMZ isn't going to be enough.   The approach that will most likely work is to make your Cisco router your primary router and  hang the Westrell off it to handle FIOS specific network functions.  Read the article linked above and decide which option will work for you.

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Re: How to avoid double NAT with second router?
AdamTX1
Newbie

Thanks to you both for responding.  I had actually already read that Networking 3.0 document ... and since options 1-3 were not allowing the QuickVPN to work and options 4+ resulted in lost FIOS TV services I wasn't pursuing any of those options.  Out of all of them it sounds like Bridging the Westell would be closest to what I want (enabling the Cisco router to acquire the public IP address).  But I'm not willing to sacrifice my TV functions so even that option is a non-starter for me.

Over the past two weeks I have spent some 30 or 40 hours researching and then tinkering with the configuration on the routers (and VPN client software -- QuickVPN and shrewsoft VPN client).  So I just invested about 15 minutes in downloading the free TeamViewer software.  And although I didn't want to go the "3rd party software" route I'm actually glad I tried it.  I now have a working VPN connection via TeamViewer, and through the VPN am able to use windows remote desktop just fine -- which was my goal all along.  I'm concerned about the 3rd party software / security ... but at least this works.  And I can always disable the TeamViewer Service when I'm not using the software. 

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