Two home networks...

[tgreer]

I have an existing, perfectly functional, wireless network at home. The router is a NetGear WGT624v2. I understand SSIDs, WEP and WPA security, etc.

I also work at home, and my company has provided me with a laptop and router/firewall, a CISCO PIX 501.

My current configuration:

Cable Modem
----------------
   |
PIX 501
--------------------------------
  |                    |
Corporate Laptop     NetGear
                 -------------
                     |  |  |
                 Home Systems

The corporate laptop is cabled into the PIX, as is the NetGear Wirless router. The NetGear supports cabled and wireless connections.

Everything is fine, insofar as all systems can use the internet.

However, I want the corporate laptop to see resources on the "NetGear" network, including:

1) Remote Desktop Connection. I want the corp.laptop to be able to remotely control one of the home laptops.

2) Shared printers

3) shared folders

Note: the Corporate Laptop and the NetGear router are on the same network, getting their IPs from the PIX 501.

All other PCs get their IP addresses from the NetGear, which is configured as a DHCP server.

The "PIX network" is IP range 192.168.4, and the "NetGear network" is IP range 192.168.0.

Where would I start?

[John A]

Shouldn't the router (PIX) do all the routing for you? All you should need is the NetGear's IP address, and a lot of virtual hosts for the services you want to run. (If the corporate laptop is trying to access the NetGear; the other way around should work without a problem.)

[tgreer]

Perhaps I wasn't clear... the PIX isn't really involved in this scenario. The corporate laptop should make all it's home network connections to 192.168.14.4, the IP given to the Netgear router by the PIX.

So, for example, if I want to remote control a home pc, I would configure the Netgear to port forward port 3389 to the 192.168.0.?? number of that home PC.

In order for the corp. laptop to print to a printer on the home network, I suppose I could configure a home machine as a VPN server, and connect through VPN.

In other words, I can manually configure each particular service via Port Forwarding. I was wondering if there is another way to make the corp. laptop fully participate in the home network.

[John A]

In other words, I can manually configure each particular service via Port Forwarding. I was wondering if there is another way to make the corp. laptop fully participate in the home network.

I think you would need a bridge for that.

PIX 501 ----- Bridge ------ Netgear
   |                           |
  Laptop                       |
                          Home network

[tgreer]

Thanks, "bridging" was the term I couldn't remember. I didn't need to buy a dedicated bridge, since any machine with both an ethernet port and a wireless card can attach to both networks and be configured to act as a bridge.

I appreciate your help.