VPN host setup on RBK960 with BT SmartHub (UK)

By rule of thumb, you need to operate your BT router (to keep support for BT Digital Voice) as a router, and configure a full DMZ where the RBR960 router will be connected. Don't forget to add an address reservation for the intermediate network and IP subnet for the Netgear router, and NAT forward the port 1194/UDP to the Netgear router WAN (Internet adapter), effectively operating on a private IP subnet.  

Be ready to take rants in the community about double NAT.

To my knowledge - keep in mind I'm from Switzerland and far away from a BT Internet connection - 

both the Smart Hub and the Business Smart Hub 2: BT Digital Voice are not compatible with the hub when in bridging mode, so terminating the Internet connection direct on the Netgear Router (any) isn't possible.

Better consult with a community with specific BT Internet knowledge, like the BT Community for example, in case you don't get appropriate information here.

Regards,

-Kurt

Thanks guys,

Contrary to a number of instructions on the web, there is no bridging mode available on a residential BT SmartHubs - only on BT Business Hubs.

If I run the RBK960 in a DMZ (I've found that setting on the SmartHub), the RBK960 will be given a local IP address by the BT SmartHub. How do I configure the the BT SmartHub (or the VPN clients) to direct all incoming VPN traffic to the RBK960 running in router mode. I'm sorry but you're going to have to keep this really simple for me - think, instructing a little old lady 😉 ...when schumaku talks of "NAT forwarding", my poor brain's immediate response is,"Eh?". Is this the same as port forwarding? ...I don't have enough experience of this sort of stuff to be able to cross-reference slightly different terminology to what I'm seeing in front of me.

I think I've found the configuration for port forwarding on the SmartHub for it. Does port 1194/UDP route all VPN traffic directly to the RBK960? Does the VPN setup screen on the RBK960 talking of TUN port 12973/UDP and TAP port 12974/UDP have any influence? 

Will I then need to configure the VPN clients with the IP address assigned to my SmartHub and then rely on the SmartHub to forward all VPN traffic to the RBK960 via port 1194/UDP? Or am I getting myself really confused (highly likely!)?

Sorry for being so basic! ...but I am keen to learn 😁

Hi schumaku and FURRYe38,

I did some background research to clarify everything and had a go ...and it just works!

I followed your guides, I gave the RBK960 a static IP address in my SmartHub and set it up in the DMZ. I have turned off all the radios in the SmartHub whether necessary or not, and left the RBK960 as a router. Following my earlier question, after reading up about port 1194/UDP I came to understand that port 1194/UDP is for OpenVPN so I set up port forwarding on 1194/UDP to the RBK960's internal IP address.

On the RBK960 I enabled the VPN server and downloaded the VPN client config file but edited the config file to point at the assigned IP address of the SmartHub, instead of the one given to the RBK960 by the SmartHub. I downloaded and configured the Client VPN software on the client devices with the mod'ed config file. Now my remote devices have no issue getting onto my network for my NAS, printer, OctoPrint, etc. and BT Digital Voice and Hybrid Connect still work ...brilliant! I'd still like to set up a VPN login and password though and I yet can't see how to do that.

The only thing I have to keep an eye on will be the SmartHub's IP address because BT don't provide static IP addresses to residental broadband customers. We do already have our own domain so perhaps setting up a free Dynamic DNS service could handle that? I see that the BT SmartHub provides built-in compatibility with a few DDNS services. I'll investigate if it proves a problem.

Does anyone know how to get the Sky Go app to see my Sky Q box over VPN to view my recordings? It's the only thing that doesn't work.