Branch Office Virtual Private Networks; About This Chapter; What You Need To Create A Vpn - Watchguard Firebox X20E User Manual

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Branch Office Virtual Private
Networks
A VPN (Virtual Private Network) creates a secure connection between computers or networks in differ-
ent locations. This connection is known as a tunnel. The networks and hosts on a VPN tunnel can be
corporate headquarters, branch offices, remote users, or telecommuters. When a VPN tunnel is created,
the two tunnel endpoints are authenticated. Data in the tunnel is encrypted. Only the sender and the
recipient of the message can read it.

About This Chapter

This chapter describes how to configure the Edge as the endpoint in a branch office VPN. In a branch
office VPN, the VPN tunnel is created between two devices that can each support IPSec. You can find
instructions on how to create a VPN from a single computer to the Firebox X Edge in the chapter "Con-
figuring Mobile User VPN. "
This chapter starts with a section that tells you the basic requirements for your Firebox® X Edge e-Series
to create a VPN. Start with "What You Need to Create a VPN" on page 197.
The subsequent section tells you how to configure the Firebox X Edge to be the endpoint of a VPN tun-
nel created and managed by a WatchGuard® Firebox X Core or Peak Management Server. This proce-
dure is different for different versions of WatchGuard System Manager appliance software installed on
the Firebox X Core or Peak. This section also gives procedures for VPN tunnels managed by
VPN Manager (available with earlier versions of WatchGuard management software).
Information about how to configure a Manual VPN to connect to another VPN device and restrict spec-
ified types of network traffic is also included in this chapter. Use this section to create VPN tunnels to
any other IPSec VPN endpoint, or manage VPN traffic control.
The last part of this chapter includes information about how to apply traffic control rules to your VPN
traffic and how to keep a VPN tunnel operating correctly, and instructions on how to see VPN tunnel
statistics. These last sections can help you troubleshoot problems with a VPN.

What You Need to Create a VPN

Before you configure your WatchGuard® Firebox® X Edge VPN network, read these requirements:
User Guide 197