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Knowledge document #3737

Connecting a FRITZ!Repeater set up as a VPN client (WireGuard) to another FRITZ! network

When you set up a WireGuard VPN connection between two FRITZ! networks (FRITZ!Box network or FRITZ!Repeater network), by default both networks are connected to each other (LAN-LAN linkup). This way you can access all of the devices in the other network and all of the IP-based services such as email servers, databases, and file servers can be used at both locations.

However, you can also configure the VPN connection between the FRITZ! networks so that the FRITZ!Repeater acts as a VPN client. In this kind of client-LAN linkup, only devices in the network of the FRITZ!Repeater configured as a VPN client can access devices in the network of a FRITZ!Box configured as a VPN server. It is not possible for devices in the network of the VPN server to access devices in the VPN client's network.

You can find an overview of additional VPN connection options in our guide VPN with FRITZ!.

Example values used in this guide

In this guide we show you how to connect a FRITZ!Repeater as a VPN client via WireGuard to a FRITZ!Box as the VPN server. When setting up the connection, replace the values used in this guide with your actual values.

Requirements / Restrictions

  • The FRITZ!Repeater must be configured as a router for internet access via a cable, DSL, or fiber optic modem. VPN is not available when it is used as an IP client.

    Note:If you are operating the FRITZ!Repeater with a FRITZ!Box, configure the VPN connection in the FRITZ!Box.

  • No WireGuard connections may have been set up in the VPN client yet (for example for a smartphone). If WireGuard connections have already been set up in the VPN client, these must be deleted before setting up the connection to the VPN server.
  • The VPN server must receive either an IPv6 address or a public IPv4 address from the internet provider.
  • If the VPN server is a FRITZ!Box, FRITZ!OS 7.50 or later must be installed on it; if the VPN server is a FRITZ!Repeater, FRITZ!OS 8 must be installed on it.

Note:All instructions on configuration and settings given in this guide refer to the latest FRITZ!OS for the FRITZ!Repeater.

1 Preparations

Configuring MyFRITZ!

With MyFRITZ!Net you can reach the VPN server (FRITZ!Box or FRITZ!Repeater) from the internet at any time at a fixed MyFRITZ! address:

Setting up MyFRITZ!
  1. Click "Internet" in the user interface of the FRITZ!Repeater.
  2. Click "MyFRITZ! Account" in the "Internet" menu.
  3. Enter your email address in the "Your email address" field.
  4. Click "Apply". Now MyFRITZ!Net sends you an email with the confirmation link to your FRITZ!Repeater.

    Important:If you do not receive an email, the email was classified as unsolicited advertising (spam). In this case, check the spam folder of your email inbox.

  5. Open the email you received from MyFRITZ!Net.
  6. Click the "Register Your FRITZ!Repeater" button in the email.

Adapting the IP networks

VPN communication is not possible if both FRITZ! networks use the same IP network. Since all FRITZ!Boxes and FRITZ!Repeaters use the IP network 192.168.178.0 in the factory settings, configure IP addresses from different IP networks in the FRITZ! products:

Example:
In this guide, the FRITZ!Repeater used as the VPN server uses the IP address 192.168.10.1 (subnet mask 255.255.255.0).

Changing the FRITZ!Repeater's IP network
  1. Click "Home Network" in the user interface of the FRITZ!Repeater.
  2. Click "Network" in the "Home Network" menu.
  3. Click on the "Network Settings" tab.
  4. Click "Additional Settings" in the section "LAN Settings" to display all of the settings.
  5. Click the "IPv4 Settings" button.
  6. Enter the desired IP address and subnet mask.
  7. Click "Apply" to save the settings and on the FRITZ!Repeater, confirm that the procedure may be executed, if you are asked to do so.

2 Setting up the VPN server

  1. Click "Internet" in the FRITZ!Box (VPN server)user interface.
  2. Click "Permit Access" in the "Internet" menu.
  3. Click on the "VPN (WireGuard)" tab.
  4. Click the "Add Connection" button.
  5. Click "Connect a single device" and then "Next".
  6. Enter a name for the VPN connection (for example FRITZ!Repeater VPN client).
  7. Click "Finish".
  8. If you are asked to do so, on the FRITZ!Box confirm that the procedure may be executed and click "OK" to complete the procedure.
  9. Click "Download Settings" and download the file with the extension ".conf" to the computer.

3 Setting up a VPN client

In the FRITZ!Repeater to be used as the VPN client, set up a VPN connection to the VPN server:

  1. Click "Internet" in the user interface of the FRITZ!Repeater (VPN client).
  2. Click "Permit Access" in the "Internet" menu.
  3. Click on the "VPN (WireGuard)" tab.
  4. Click the "Add Connection" button.
  5. Click "Connect networks or establish special connections" and then "Next".
  6. By "Has this WireGuard connection already been set up at the remote connection?", click "Yes".
  7. Click "Next".
  8. Enter a unique name for the connection (FRITZ!Box VPN server) in the field "Name of the WireGuard connection".
  9. Click the "Choose File" or "Browse..." button.
  10. Select the settings file for the WireGuard connection that you downloaded from the FRITZ!Box (VPN server) and click "Open".
  11. If you do not only want to use the VPN connection to access the remote network, but also want all web requests to be sent over the VPN connection to the FRITZ!Box (VPN server), enable the option "Send all IPv4 network traffic via the VPN connection".
  12. Enable the option "Allow NetBIOS over this connection" if access to Windows file and printer sharings (SMB shares) in the remote network should be allowed.
  13. Click the "Finish" button.
  14. If you are asked to do so, on the FRITZ!Repeater confirm that the procedure may be executed and click "OK" to complete the procedure.

Now the VPN connection between both FRITZ! networks is configured and the FRITZ!Repeater (VPN client) is permanently connected to the FRITZ!Box (VPN server).



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