Netgear Router VPN Passthrough Not Working?

A VPN passthrough is a feature on the Netgear router that allows you to make a VPN connection from behind your router’s firewall settings. In case you were already using a VPN connection but the Netgear router stopped the connection, then you need to use the information provided here. Netgear router VPN passthrough not working can be easily fixed by using some hacks that we have highlighted in this very guide.

What is a VPN Connection?

VPN short for Virtual Private Network is a very secure way to make connections between two private networks. You can have remote access to the computers as if you are on the same local network using a VPN connection.

VPN connection happens between a computer and the network, or between a LAN and a network using two routers. There are two ends of the connection. Each end is known as a VPN endpoint. The connection established between these two endpoints is a VPN tunnel. The communication happens via the VPN tunnel.

What is Netgear Router VPN Passthrough?

All Netgear routers support VPN passthrough. This feature allows the network traffic to pass through the router’s defenses. This means the traffic is allowed without being blocked. Netgear router VPN passthrough sits on the router and makes sure that older VPN protocols like IPsec, LT2P, and PPTP do not block the network traffic.

Netgear Router VPN Passthrough Not Working? Try This!

Netgear router VPN passthrough works without any issues. You do not need to make any modifications to the settings of the router. However, in case you are facing issues in making a VPN connection using your Netgear router, then use the troubleshooting tips given ahead. At least one out of all will be able to resolve the issue under discussion.

1. Update your Router’s Firmware

The VPN connection works well if you have your Netgear router’s firmware upgraded with the latest version. We hope your router is not running on an older and obsolete firmware version. In case you have not updated your router for a long time then it is now time you get it upgraded. Use the URL routerlogin.net to log in to your Netgear router on a web browser and then check for firmware updates. If there is an update ready, then get it installed right away. Once the router is updated with the most recent firmware version you will be able to use the Netgear router VPN passthrough without any trouble.

2. Turn on NAT-T

NAT-T or NAT traversal helps secure data transmission in the IPsec tunnel. It makes sure that the VPN connection stays active while the network traffic passes through the gateways or the devices using NAT. If your device supports a NAT-T then ensure that it is turned on. If it is not then turn it on and then make the VPN connection.

3. Register Router’s MAC Address

If you are trying to make a VPN connection with a device or network that uses a L2TP passthrough then you need to register your Netgear router’s MAC address with the network’s system administrator.

4. Enable Port Forwarding

Enabling port forwarding can be helpful in this case. For an IPsec VPN, you should enable VPN port 500, for PPTP VPN, enable port 1723 and for L2TP you should enable port 1701. To learn about how to enable port forwarding, you can refer to the Netgear router user manual.

5. Change Router Firewall Settings

The Netgear router’s firewall settings may be stopping the VPN passthrough. The firewall by default is configured to delete ICMP packets that are sent from outside the network to the WAN port. Maybe the VPN connection requires the ICMP packets. So, you should log in to your router using the login URL or the default IP address 192.168.1.1. After logging in, Go to Settings > WAN Setup > Advanced > Respond to Ping on Internet Port.

Now the ICMP packets will be accepted and not dropped or deleted.

6. Check VPN Software Configuration

You should verify the VPN software that you are using to make the connection. Get in touch with your ISP to understand the details of the VPN software configuration. He might help you.

In the End

In case the Netgear router VPN passthrough does not work, we are very sure that after you have applied the fixes given in this post, the issue will vanish in a matter of minutes. You can now establish a VPN connection without any hassle.