Troubleshooting Actiontec MI-424WR and VPN Server

[BigDaddy5]

So I'm currently running an Asus RT-N66U behind an Actiontec MI-424WR with Verizon FiOS. I'm trying to set up the built-in VPN server with some reliability, and having some struggles.

Here's what the network looks like:

ONT->COAX->(no Ethernet option) Actiontec -> LAN Port -> ASUS RT-N66U WAN Port

Here's some of the options I've tried:

Actiontec wifi off, ASUS router set up with static ip from Actiontec, in the DMZ: no connectivity to VPN. (ASUS only recognizes LAN ip as WAN, obviously, so VPN is offline)

Actiontec set up as a network bridge: everything works, but when there's a power/network outage, the ASUS can't seem to renew an IP from Verizon, and I end up having to factory restore everything, calling Verizon and having them push a new IP, then setting it back up. This has been...well, it always happens when I'm out of town, and the wife has to do this, which is a problem for both of us. This is a 90% solution, but unfortunately if it requires any troubleshooting from the wife, this is unacceptable to "us."

So thus far, it seems as if running the Actiontec as a bridge is out of the picture, because the ASUS isn't renewing the IP address when it happens out of the usual 2-hour lease cycle.

If anybody can suggest any reliable solutions to this, I would greatly appreciate it. I've tried searching, and if I missed the right thread, I apologize in advance. Thanks!

 

[CaptainSTX]

I have basically the same setup as you and I have been searching for a solution also. I have added a Dynamic DNS service to the equation and have still not been able to get the VPN server to function. As you state the problem is that once the ASUS sees that it is in a double NATed setup it refuses to allow the VPN server to function.

Until I can work through this challenge I am running an FTP server on the ASUS so I can access my files remotely. Security is a concern so I use maximum length passwords, the files are read only and the server is only available during certain hours.

I haven't given up yet as in looking at Tomato is has a couple of features that might make using a VPN server possible. For now I am satisfied using FTP to access my photo library remotely possible.

 

[pdoyle]

ask Verizon to change coax to ethernet

So I'm currently running an Asus RT-N66U behind an Actiontec MI-424WR with Verizon FiOS. I'm trying to set up the built-in VPN server with some reliability, and having some struggles.

Here's what the network looks like:

ONT->COAX->(no Ethernet option) Actiontec -> LAN Port -> ASUS RT-N66U WAN Port

Here's some of the options I've tried:

Actiontec wifi off, ASUS router set up with static ip from Actiontec, in the DMZ: no connectivity to VPN. (ASUS only recognizes LAN ip as WAN, obviously, so VPN is offline)

Actiontec set up as a network bridge: everything works, but when there's a power/network outage, the ASUS can't seem to renew an IP from Verizon, and I end up having to factory restore everything, calling Verizon and having them push a new IP, then setting it back up. This has been...well, it always happens when I'm out of town, and the wife has to do this, which is a problem for both of us. This is a 90% solution, but unfortunately if it requires any troubleshooting from the wife, this is unacceptable to "us."

So thus far, it seems as if running the Actiontec as a bridge is out of the picture, because the ASUS isn't renewing the IP address when it happens out of the usual 2-hour lease cycle.

If anybody can suggest any reliable solutions to this, I would greatly appreciate it. I've tried searching, and if I missed the right thread, I apologize in advance. Thanks!

I know next to nothing, but after years of problems with wireless N routers secondary to Actiontec, I finally found huge improvement in every feature by configuring rt-n56u as primary. check out dslreports.com for Primary WAN-to-LAN (Option 6) at http://www.dslreports.com/faq/15992. When I called FIOS support and asked them to enable the CAT5 for internet on the ONT, the first tech told me that was not possible....I called back later after failing to reconfigure the original coax for internet, but second tech said it had successfully been switched to ethernet. This Option 6 alternative allows all features on asus to work; ftp, Ai Disk, etc. The Lan-to-LAN with Actiontec primary wouldn't as the WAN of Asus had no internet connection.