Cisco WRVS4400N Wireless-N Gigabit Security Router - VPN v2.0

Highlights

• Secure, high-speed wireless network access for small business
• Gigabit Ethernet connections enable rapid transfer of large files
• Advanced security, including intrusion prevention, helps keep assets safe
• Full IPsec VPN capabilities for up to five remote connections

Features and Benefits

The Cisco WRVS4400N Wireless-N Gigabit Security Router offers:

• High-speed connectivity: Gigabit Ethernet connections on both WAN and LAN ports help you take full advantage of your broadband connections, enabling your employees to send and receive large files quickly and easily.
• Integrated 802.11n wireless access point: A built-in access point enables your employees to connect to the network wirelessly. Support for draft 2.0 of the 802.11n industry standard, along with backward compatibility with 802.11b and g standards, increases wireless speed, throughput, and range, for more efficient wireless coverage of your small office.
• Proven Stateful Packet Inspection (SPI) firewall with Intrusion Prevention System (IPS): Unlike standard firewalls, which block incoming streams based only on the source or type of data, the intrusion prevention system scans deep, enabling it to detect and block most worms, Trojan horses, and denial-of-service attacks to help keep your business assets safe.
• VPN capabilities: IP Security (IPsec) VPN capabilities built into the WRVS4400N enable your remote employees, whether working from home or on the road, to connect to your office network using nearly any VPN client to access files and transfer data as securely as if they were in the office.
• Optional Cisco ProtectLink Web security service: This optional hosted service adds another layer of protection to your network by blocking malicious websites and controlling web access, without the drain on your office PCs caused by traditional security solutions.
• Flexible segmentation of users: Flexible, built-in support for up to 4 multiple service set identifiers (SSIDs) and up to four 802.1Q virtual LAN (VLAN) connections enables the creation separate virtual networks to allow secure guest access and improve traffic flow (Figure 2). The WRVS4400N can interoperate with other VLAN-capable switches, further enhancing flexibility.
• Limited lifetime warranty.

 Cisco WRVS4400N wireless-N Gigabit Security Router review found on this forum.

Cisco WRVS4400N wireless-N Gigabit Security Routerspecifications and documentation here.

Wireless VPN router

Pros:

I bought two Linksys WRVS4400N routers to manage a business from my office with a site to site VPN connection. I have previously managed a Cisco PIX 515E VPN appliance in a corporate enviornement for 5 years. To begin the install I enabled remote management on the customers existing router and copied the config to the new WRVS. 

Then I placed it on site. The customer was literally off the internet for less the two minutes while I swapped the cables into the new router. I had to flash the BIOS and upgrade the IPS signature files before placing it, this is certainly a inconvience, but that is how networking equipment goes. After returning to my office, I wanted to set up the site to site so I connected remotely to the router on the client side and http'ed to my local router. The documentation for VPN's is ok but could be better. Seems to be written by someone who has not actually set up a site to site, just read about it. I spent a few hours trying to bring up the tunnel with no luck, the name of the tunnel was two words with a space, I removed the space and the tunnel came right up! 

I searched Cisco documentation but if they are aware of the issue they don't report it in any way. The wireless connetion is ok, I find I must disconnect and reconnect the wireless connection is windows if the box has been idle for several hours. For the most part, this is a very good vpn router for a few hundred bucks. I will buy more as I add clients for remote support.

Cons:

The documentation could be better. I could not get the site to site VPN tunnel up so I looked to the advanced tab and they seem to have forgottened to document this area as an afterthough. They should tell you that the advanced area can be left as default only. The problem was a space in the tunnle name, appears to be another undocument Cisco secret.

Posted in: