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Forum Discussion
WillDab4Memes
Dec 05, 2020Aspirant
VPN
I have Xfinity service and work from home. I bought the Netgear R7000P, and the modem router we are using is the Xb6-A. We also have the xFi mesh pods in the home which is what im running off of curr...
michaelkenward
Dec 06, 2020Guru - Experienced User
I'm afraid that tjhere is too much going on in there for me to unravel at a quickread, but this caught my eye:
WillDab4Memes wrote:
I have Xfinity service and work from home. I bought the Netgear R7000P, and the modem router we are using is the Xb6-A.
What is this Xb6-A? Who makes it?
A quick web search suggests that it os, as you say, a modem router. This throws you into awkward territory:
Two routers on your network can cause headaches. For example, you can end up with local address problems. Among other things, the other router can misdirect addresses that the Netgear router usually handles, such as routerlogin.net or the usual IP address for a router, 192.168.1.1.
This explains some of the other drawbacks.
What is Double NAT? | Answer | NETGEAR Support
Then there is this bit:
WillDab4Memes wrote:
I am not the owner of the service so we can't disable the broadcast from the modem
To me this says that you don't have access to the router on your network, so trying to install a VPN may not be possible.
Then again, "VPN" could mean many things, none of which are obvious from your message.
You might get better help than this by explaining that angle and sporting that out before worrying about the rest of your complicated saga.
- WillDab4MemesDec 06, 2020AspirantSo the vpn service is OpenVPN software and I have to be connected in order to access my work RDP. The issue that started this whole mess is that the current setup (running ethernet from an xFi pod that's connected to the xb6a modem/router) will let the vpn connect but randomly during the day my VPN disconnects for no reason and I lose my connection to my work RDP because of it. The goal we are trying to accomplish is being able to use what current devices we have or add in a minimum amount of new devices to make those VPN issues disappear. We also checked many times with the OpenVPN software and have determined the fault is not in the software itself. Hope that additional information helps.
- michaelkenwardDec 06, 2020Guru - Experienced User
The trouble is that you have no control over the router. This is where problems like those you describe, dropped connections, can arise.
The "XFINITY XB6 Advanced Gateway Modem" manages the traffic on the network and out to the Internet. You have added another router, the R7000P. Because there are two routers – double NAT – the first one is in the way out to the Internet and may decide to screw up your connection.
Did you read the piece at the and of the link on Double NAT?
The way to get around those problems is to put your R7000P into wireless access point (AP) mode. (Check the manual.) It will then stop arguments with the main router. But that may also screw up the OpenVPN software.
WillDab4Memes wrote:
The goal we are trying to accomplish is being able to use what current devices we have or add in a minimum amount of new devices to make those VPN issues disappear.That is probably down to "the owner of the service". The rest of your first message, that stuff about Netgear mesh systems and xFi mesh pods, is probably a red herring.
Then again, I have no idea where the R7000P comes into the picture. If this is a part of the network, then my first move would be to put in into AP mode. I you are lucky the problem will go away.
If not, then you may not be able to achieve what you want without negotiating with the owner of the XB6.