Question

We're looking to deploy around 8 rut240's to remote mountain spots for some remote building management. 

The sim's we're using are on a private APN, so we need the clients to connect to another teltonika; a 240, which is acting as a server on said APN.

We've done a simple lab test with a client and server. Now we're looking to deploy the first few and onwards.

Before I purchase all the units, I'm trying to gauge if the server rut240 with 8 clients will be 'ok'. There will be very little real traffic, some iot monitoring temp/humidity and building access updates. The only concern I have, is the capacity for this rut240 as a vpn server. If this use case is well within its capability, super. If not any suggestions for a suitable server unit?
Bearing in mind it has to be on the same mobile APN.

Many thanks

Answer 1

Hello, 

Regarding the information you are inquiring kindly check the list below: 

RUT2xx series devices:

• OpenVPN
  • 1 server instance
  • 5 client instances
  • up to 200 client connection to the server
• IPsec
  • Don't have that info
• GRE Tunnel
  • Don't have that info
• PPTP
  • 1 server instance
  • 5 client instances
  • up to 100 client connection to the server
• L2TP
  • 1 server instance
  • 5 client instances
  • up to 100 client connection to the server

RUT9xx series devices:

• OpenVPN
  • 1 server instance
  • 5 client instances
  • up to 300 client connection to the server
• IPsec
  • Don't have that info
• GRE Tunnel
  • Don't have that info
• PPTP
  • 1 server instance
  • 5 client instances
  • up to 100 client connection to the server
• L2TP
  • 1 server instance
  • 5 client instances
  • up to 100 client connection to the server

NOTE: in theory the devices will support more connections than specified here. But if you exceed those numbers, the device may starting functioning incorrectly (high CPU load, high RAM usage, possible crashes, etc.)

As long as the Server and the other RUT240 is able to communicate with each other there would be no issues regarding the OpenVPN configuration. To make it much clearer if the said sim cards can ping the WAN IP of the RUT240 that will be acting as the server it will 
work.

Hope it helps.

Regards,
Jerome

Comments

Thanks Jerome.

We can cycle the vpn's via sms to keep under 5. I planned to do that anyway to conserve data.

Or consider another approach.

We need to send to devices within each building, it's a 3rd party lock that wants to be on the same network, or at least accessible, so we're making use of the easy push routing to clients.. really has been straightforward thanks to the excellent wiki articles.

Answer 2

Hello Collin,

by ''a private APN'' do you mean also that your routers are on a private IP address on the WAN side ?

If so, could you tell me how you've configured your devices so that they would see each other ?

Thx

JL

Comments

@JL I've got the setup working using the wan, which isn't publically routable, so all ruts are on the same private apn. Then following the wiki for server/client setup [1]. The only difference is instead of using the private wan ip, I'm using the dynamic dns service, via no-ip.com. This is configured to use the ip address source of private. Then just use that hostname in place of the ip's. I had to do this as each time the ruts power cycle they get a new ip.

1. https://wiki.teltonika-networks.com/view/OpenVPN_configuration_examples

Crucially they have to all be on the same apn. I have not yet pushed into configuring them as clients of a cloud openvpn service.

The other option was to go with more expensive publically routable sim cards, then the locksmith/operator connects to each site. I prefered the idea that the locksmith/operator simply connect to the rutxxx in his office and all buildings were accessible when updates/logs were pushed & pulled.  Publically routable sims also have more potential bad traffic, at least that's a positive of the private apn.

I did find one provider that would let you connect to the private apn via a pc, using a bit of software, no pricing, just a contact us; which I've not done yet.

I only need to do this as I have to talk to devices within the buildings. It was all push form the buildings life would be easier, but where is the fun in that.