The Lab

Systematic VPN troubleshooting with diagnostic commands for IPsec, WireGuard, and L2TP. Solve six common problems: tunnel establishment failures, handshake issues, connectivity problems, random disconnects, client connection failures, and slow performance with decision trees.

Provide secure remote access with WireGuard (fast, requires client) or L2TP/IPsec (built-in OS support). Create IP pools, configure authentication, set up clients for Windows/Mac/iOS/Android, manage user access, and control network permissions with firewall rules.

Modern alternative to IPsec using public/private key pairs. Create WireGuard interfaces, generate and exchange keys, configure peers with allowed addresses, and set up routing. Faster setup (5-8 min vs 15-20 for IPsec) with fewer settings and simpler troubleshooting.

Connect two offices with IPsec VPN. Step-by-step configuration covering two-phase negotiation, peer setup, pre-shared keys, proposals, and policies. Includes required firewall rules, NAT considerations, testing procedures, and troubleshooting decision trees for common issues.

Compare VPN protocols: WireGuard (modern, fast, simple), IPsec (industry standard, interoperable), L2TP/IPsec (built-in OS support), and why to avoid PPTP. Includes decision matrix for choosing the right protocol based on your scenario and performance needs.

Set up VPNs that work: site-to-site and remote user access. Learn WireGuard, IPsec, and L2TP protocols in 77 minutes. Choose the right protocol, configure connections, troubleshoot systematically, and deploy working VPNs in 30 minutes with copy-paste templates.

Perform a 28-point firewall security audit covering input/forward chains, NAT configuration, rule ordering, and services. Includes scoring system, testing procedures, and documentation templates. Your Quick Win ensures professional-grade network protection and identifies security gaps.

Protect against port scans, brute force attacks, SYN floods, ping floods, and DNS amplification. Use address lists for dynamic blocking, connection limits for attack detection, and learn hardened firewall rule ordering that stops real-world network threats.

Build, edit, and reorder firewall rules with confidence. Learn the anatomy of rules (where, what, do), add custom protections step-by-step, and test safely with Safe Mode. Includes practical examples like blocking IPs, allowing SSH selectively, and logging traffic.

Learn what default firewall rules do and why they exist. Understand proper rule structure for input and forward chains, identify common configuration mistakes, and use the good-enough firewall checklist to verify your router is properly secured against basic threats.