Networking together two office buildings

[brandonkick]

So I have been asked if it were possible to join two buildings together, which are physically about a few odd football fields away. Running a hard line is not really practical as we really only need one machine in the other building to connect to the main office building.

It has been suggested by other employees to use something like logmein or gotomypc. I don't really love those ideas, and would rather go a better route.

I've been thinking of setting up a VPN but I'm either over thinking it or, more likely, I'm confusing myself and I don't quite fully understand the setup.

I can purchase a cloud based server to run the VPN off of for a one time setup fee of $35 from Cloud At Cost.
No other fee's after that from what I can tell. You pay the one time setup and your done.

I can then install OpenVPN on that server. It comes with the ability for two concurrent connections for free and
I think at least at first that's all I'll need.

I've watched videos of them showing how you configure the VPN control panel, via browser and then go in and connect to that machine from some other end user type client (windows 7 box) via the internet. That much is all very straight forward. The rest of it, I'm guessing, involves also setting up the VPN access on our "data machine" from within the main office building.

So now, both buildings are VPN'ed into the Cloud at Cost server through OpenVPN.

From there, how do I configure this machine in the remote location to be able to access files and folders from the "data machine" within the main office building.

Is it as simple as, since they will both be VPN'ed into the same network via OpenVPN, that the data machine will just show up under networked machines in the network and sharing section of the control panel on the remote location PC? I'm thinking for some reason it's too easy for it to work that way....

 

[myleso]

Perhaps a couple of Ubiquiti Nanostations?

 

[brandonkick]

There is no clean line of site.... only scenario that would work would be getting something about
forty feet in the air to mount them on. Could be a last resort scenario, but if I could accomplish it
through software I'd much rather do it that way.

I guess it might have not been stated, but again there is no clear line of site without putting up big
poles at both locations.

Thanks though! For clear line of site applications you can't beat $100 worth of hardware for what
your getting! One user posted results of nearly 1 mile between some LiteBeams and great connections.

 

[BlackLabTechs]

For those that are using NanoStations to link bldgs, I recommend taking a peak at the NanoBeam AC's. I setup a pair and am getting 450+Mbps vs the 150 Mbps with the NanoStations. The only time I still use a Nanostation is if I need to hang a camera or something where the poe through port comes in handy and extra speed isn't required.

I know this doesn't help OP problem but wanted to throw it out there. Cost difference is minimal for speed upgrade.

 

[Markverhyden]

Both buildings haves internet right? What kind of router is there in the destination building?

 

[YeOldeStonecat]

Point to point wireless, like Ubiquiti, was my first though. Vastly superior connection speed than VPN. But if line of site is not an option....then they are out. But seriously..explore this more. The long term costs of maintaining a static IP, high upload broadband account at 1 site is...considerable over the long run. > 100 bucks a month...times 12 months...times a few years....
Versus the cost of researching doing a wireless point to point, erecting a small ROHS tower, etc. Could pay for itself in under 5 years...and then some.

BUT...anyways...first, "Why"? What is the goal of connecting them? To combine active directory? One big network sharing servers and resources? Or ..just access to a few things? How will they be accessed? Need to answer those, so you can create/bulid a VPN that MEETS THOSE NEEDS. The worse thing to do is just whip up a basic VPN and then make the client functionalty "fit" under that minimal VPN.

So you need to determine what sort of bandwidth is needed, and build a VPN to sustain that. Highest upload on each end (a chain is only as strong as its weakest link).
Good hardware VPN appliances...ditch that cloud vpn crap.

Are the networks on each end on different IP ranges?
Shared what?
Have a DC on both sides for faster authentication, if same active directory. or doing a trust?
Accessing data/database/files/printers/email server through the tunnel?
How will DNS be setup?
VPN appliance capable of bandwidth control, prioritize the VPN (software cloud can't do this).

 

[brandonkick]

The goal is to simply extend the local area network from one building to another.

All of the machines at the office building are networked together via the comcast
gateway and a couple of plain old non managed cisco switches.

Remote location also has a comcast gateway.

There is no proper server setup. The data is in question is hosted on a machine
on the network (which is mirrored in real time to a synology NAS). I need the
remote location to be able to get at the data store on one of the computers connected to
the lan in the office building.

It's just to access some excel files and autocad drawings. Performance wouldn't
be an issue. It's only one person at this remote location, connecting mostly on the
weekend every once in a while, when the office itself isn't open to get the information
needed.

 

[nlinecomputers]

Sounds like all they need is Dropbox.

 

[YeOldeStonecat]

VPN not needed for this type of setup

You could do it through a NAS...and setup the external access of the NAS to remote users could log in through the NAS's portal and access files.
Or some NAS's have a cloud sync app.

Or..I'd actually use this opportunity to get them on Office 365...with Sharepoint. Or Datto's DattoDrive.

 

[nlinecomputers]

Or..I'd actually use this opportunity to get them on Office 365...with Sharepoint. Or Datto's DattoDrive.

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