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enter image description hereI have a ptp wireless network that spans 20 miles from one location to another. It works great. This is a critical network connection for us. I would like to have a vpn backup in case it should ever go down. How can I make this happen automatically? I use peplink routers and can setup the vpn at that location fine, but if my point to point goes down, how can I fail over to the vpn? Is this obtainable?

Currently I just use the same network subnet for both locations. Because I'm using ptp it works fine. I think I would probably need to set the remote location up as a different subnet or put it on a vlan then whether I'm connected either way it would work. The problem comes in when the network ptp goes down. How do I reroute everything through the vpn I would setup? Would it already be connected? If I had them both up wouldnt I get some routing issues?

At the office I have a peplink balance one router connected to tplink vlan able swtiches. I use a peplink balance 20 at the remote office and the same switches. The wireless connection is handled by ubiquti rocket m5s with 30db gain dishes.

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    Yes, this can be done easily. We'd need to see more details of your network (a diagram) in order to give you more details.
    – Ron Trunk
    Jul 14, 2016 at 15:30
  • Really, you don't want to support layer-2 broadcasts between remote locations. This can exacerbate layer-2 problems. It used to be, "Switch when you can, route when you must," but that is no longer the mantra. We now live in a layer-3 world, and very little requires layer-2 connections. It would be much easier to have separate layer-3 networks. Having the routing automatically switch from one interface to another, then back, can be pretty simple, but You should edit your question to include things like device models and configurations. We have no idea about the capabilities of your equipment.
    – Ron Maupin ♦
    Jul 16, 2016 at 4:07
  • Added those details but I can do what ever I need to. I am a fan of the brands I'm running. I really don't have any drops but if it should I would like the ability to have it fail over. If my gear all supports spanning tree would it be adviseable to use that to make this work?
    – ahackney
    Jul 16, 2016 at 17:59

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How to implement backup link to switch via Internet VPN. That is your question.

It seems like you could nail up a LAN-to-LAN VPN to get connectivity to the remote switch (via a VPN capable networking device). Then you could bridge across it (IRB, or just bridging?).

Then the problem is: now you have a layer2 ring, aka loop. So, you will have to implement Spanning Tree Protocol, STP, to block the less preferred link to the remote switch.

With STP tuning you could probably achieve failover/failback within 60 seconds or so.

This is a bit of a mess though. However, if you don't have a choice - do it.

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  • What would be a better way?
    – ahackney
    Jul 16, 2016 at 18:00
  • Implement IP, which means unique subnet(s) per site. Routing protocols offer great features aimed at alternate path selection.
    – Ronnie Royston
    Jul 16, 2016 at 18:25
  • I can do that. I have several sites that would need to be redone. What about in my main office, would it be adviseable to do that for different locations of the office? I'm running out of ip addresses doing it this way anyways. We've outgrown my original simple design.
    – ahackney
    Jul 17, 2016 at 14:42
  • Unless you are very large - 500 users or more, you really don't need to do anything else but change your subnet from a /24 to a /22.
    – Ronnie Royston
    Jul 17, 2016 at 15:52
  • But if I do that and I have more than 3 locations, how would that work?
    – ahackney
    Jul 18, 2016 at 4:49

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