IPSEC problems on the BR500 - File Server access

[tetrawest]

With the problems with the Insight VPN, I decided to finally setup the IPSEC connection between my two BR500 routers.

1. I've read the setup articles and everything matches, except for the FQDN and the LAN settings which are mirrored

2. The VPN connects (Green lights at both ends) - So the VPN is connecting

3. I can ping network devices (file servers) from each side - So information is going from one LAN to the other

4. I can log into the file server managment web-page 

BUT

I cannot establish a network drive connection. I am using the same IP address of the file server and the correct directory. These were prevously working under all other VPN configurations (Insight VPN & my old FVS336).

Any thoughts?

(NETGEAR - If this isn't fixed by tomorrow, I'll have to re-install my old FVS336 routers!)

[JohnC_V]

@tetrawest,

Please try to re-establish your VPN connection or re-create your configuration as we run some issues these past few days with our BR500. Have you seen any errors? 

Please subscribe to this thread for updates.

Regards,

John

NETGEAR Community Team

[tetrawest]

Well, at the moment, I have re-installed our old FVS336v3 routers, since they are reliable. Let me know when things are stable.

Why would the servers effect a direct IPSEC connection?

No errors, just not able to connect to the file servers on the other side of the VPN. Like some port is blocking the access. I was able to ping the file server and to connect to the web interface. I could not map a "network drive" under Windows 10. 

These "network drive" connections work with the FVS336v3 and were working with the BR500 under the Insight VPN.

- James

[tetrawest]

One of the reasons I installed the BR500 routers was to solve an issue with the VOIP system we had under the FVS336. It re-occured so I am back to the BR500 units.

The "Cloud" Insight VPN is working again. But I would like to have the IPSEC system work.

1) Lets disable the Insight VPN

2) When the Insight servers were not working, the IPSEC system connected (it showed connected), and some things worked, but the file system did not work.

3) The Router to Router IPSEC is implemented. The Client to Router system, while described in the litature, is not there.

[tetrawest]

OK,

I enabled the IPSEC. I have "green lights" on at both ends. And now the VPN itself stops working. File server access again stopped working. I was using a remote session to access the remote router and that failed.

I disabled the local IPSEC system, "red light" came on, and the VPN is now working (Insight).

[tetrawest]

One of the Tech Support people suggested removing the Insight VPN group. At the time, Insight was not allowing the removal of the routers or the VPN group.

Since then, I have fully removed the group. The BR500 routers would not connect until they had both been rebooted.

They connect (green lights and I get the IPSEC connection message). But I cannot get any traffic across the VPN. 

[MrJoshW]

If you go to 

IPADDRESSOFDEVICE.COM/cgi-bin/vpnlog.cgi

What do you see in the VPN log when the IPSEC connection is attempting to connect to the remote node?

[tetrawest]

Yep - I just reactivated it and this is all I get. 1 second intervals

<1>3 2020-03-26T18:36:53.82063+06:00Z Tetra_Office vppnctrl: tunnel disable
<1>3 2020-03-26T18:36:54.175440+06:00Z Tetra_Office vppnctrl: tunnel disable
<1>3 2020-03-26T18:36:55.265912+06:00Z Tetra_Office vppnctrl: tunnel disable
<1>3 2020-03-26T18:36:56.359539+06:00Z Tetra_Office vppnctrl: tunnel disable
<1>3 2020-03-26T18:36:57.453072+06:00Z Tetra_Office vppnctrl: tunnel disable
<1>3 2020-03-26T18:36:58.541107+06:00Z Tetra_Office vppnctrl: tunnel disable
<1>3 2020-03-26T18:36:59.618489+06:00Z Tetra_Office vppnctrl: tunnel disable
<1>3 2020-03-26T18:37:00.694778+06:00Z Tetra_Office vppnctrl: tunnel disable
<1>3 2020-03-26T18:37:01.769692+06:00Z Tetra_Office vppnctrl: tunnel disable
<1>3 2020-03-26T18:37:02.844544+06:00Z Tetra_Office vppnctrl: tunnel disable
<1>3 2020-03-26T18:37:03.919395+06:00Z Tetra_Office vppnctrl: tunnel disable
<1>3 2020-03-26T18:37:04.994060+06:00Z Tetra_Office vppnctrl: tunnel disable
<1>3 2020-03-26T18:37:06.70130+06:00Z Tetra_Office vppnctrl: tunnel disable
<1>3 2020-03-26T18:37:07.144950+06:00Z Tetra_Office vppnctrl: tunnel disable
<1>3 2020-03-26T18:37:08.220114+06:00Z Tetra_Office vppnctrl: tunnel disable

[MrJoshW]

Hello,

From the Advanced > Logs of the BR500, verify if there is any errors with the IPSEC connection in the logs or if the tunnel connects successfully between both points. If you can, send me the output from the logs section.

[tetrawest]

And the Insight service goes down. And the IPSEC does not work. 

[MrJoshW]

Insight team is aware of the Insight VPN issues and are working to resolve the stability issues. In regards to the IPSEC VPN, can you post the output from ADVANCED > Logs during the time the IPSEC is attempting to connect to see if there is any errors during the connection process?

[rcmacrae]

Has this been resolved?  I'm experiencing the same issues.

[MrJoshW]

Hello,

What is the issue you are experiencing with the IPSEC connection?

[rcmacrae]

Well, I'm not using the IPSEC but I'm using the Insight VPN and it's broken.  My case number is #42662362 and it's been open for a week now.

[MrJoshW]

Hello,

Thanks for the update, I see that it is currently being reviewed by my support colleagues. In the mean time you can try to change the VPN proxy to see if you can regain the VPN connection back up. To do that, please follow the steps below:

-You can access the VPN proxies list below. Select any of the proxy addresses from the list and hit submit.

IPADDRESSOFDEVICE/support.html

-You can view the status of the VPN logs here. You can review the logs to see if the proxy was able to connect and establish a connection:

IPADDRESSOFDEVICE/cgi-bin/vpnlog.cgi

-If the VPN logs report connection issues you can access the proxy list and select another proxy address on the list.