Windows – Configure VPN to access remote LAN network (Asus RT-AC66U)

networkingroutervpnwindows 8.1

I want to access a remote LAN network, without using this remote Internet connection when I browse websites for example.

What I have so far is a working VPN connection (PPTP) but when I connect to it, it uses the remote Internet connection for everything. I tried disabling the "Use default gateway on remote network" in the connection properties on the client, but then I can't access the remote local network anymore.

The router on the remote network is an Asus RT-AC66U. The only VPN settings available (to my knowledge) look like this: http://event.asus.com/2012/nw/dummy_ui/en/Advanced_PPTPAdvanced_Content.html

All the VPN clients are on Windows 8.1.

What can I do? Is what I want even possible with a router like this?

Edit: the route table on the client look like this:

IPv4 Route Table
===========================================================================
Active Routes:
Network Destination        Netmask          Gateway       Interface  Metric
          0.0.0.0          0.0.0.0      192.168.1.1     192.168.1.25   4235
          0.0.0.0          0.0.0.0         On-link      192.168.10.2     11
        127.0.0.0        255.0.0.0         On-link         127.0.0.1   4531
        127.0.0.1  255.255.255.255         On-link         127.0.0.1   4531
  127.255.255.255  255.255.255.255         On-link         127.0.0.1   4531
      192.168.1.0    255.255.255.0         On-link      192.168.1.25   4491
     192.168.1.25  255.255.255.255         On-link      192.168.1.25   4491
    192.168.1.255  255.255.255.255         On-link      192.168.1.25   4491
     192.168.10.2  255.255.255.255         On-link      192.168.10.2    266
   REMOTE IP ADDR  255.255.255.255      192.168.1.1     192.168.1.25   4236
        224.0.0.0        240.0.0.0         On-link         127.0.0.1   4531
        224.0.0.0        240.0.0.0         On-link      192.168.1.25   4491
        224.0.0.0        240.0.0.0         On-link      192.168.10.2     11
  255.255.255.255  255.255.255.255         On-link         127.0.0.1   4531
  255.255.255.255  255.255.255.255         On-link      192.168.1.25   4491
  255.255.255.255  255.255.255.255         On-link      192.168.10.2    266
===========================================================================

The network 192.168.1.0 is the local network, 192.168.10.2 is the VPN, 192.168.2.0 is the remote local network (although there is no mention of it here).

Can I manually edit these routes in a way that would work for me?

Best Answer

I found a solution by changing the client side only. In the table above, the route 

0.0.0.0    0.0.0.0    On-link    192.168.10.2

sends everything through the VPN.

If I uncheck the option "Use default gateway on remote network" (on the VPN connection, right click Properties -> Networking -> IP V4 -> Properties -> Advanced), this route disappears: nothing goes through the VPN anymore.

If I then manually add this route instead:

192.168.2.0    255.255.255.0    On-link    192.168.10.2

It starts to send local network traffic through the VPN again (but only that), so everything works as I expected.

Here is the command line to add this route, in case it can help somebody else (needs to be admin):

route add 192.168.2.0 mask 255.255.255.0 192.168.10.2

Edit: And this one does the same for broadcast, if needed:

route add 192.168.2.255 mask 255.255.255.255 192.168.10.2
Related Question