IPSec settings for 4G cellular router

In the wave of IIoT, 4G cellular router has become the first choice for many enterprises to realize remote monitoring, data collection, equipment control and other application scenarios with its high-speed, stable and flexible network connectivity. However, with the increasingly complex network environment and the rising security demands, how to configure IPSec on 4G cellular routers to ensure the security and integrity of data transmission has become an important skill that traditional industry engineers must master. This article will delve into the IPSec setup methods, considerations, and practical use cases of 4G cellular routers, revealing the mysteries behind them for you.

IP Sec: The cornerstone of security for industrial IoT

IPSec is a network layer security protocol that provides confidentiality, integrity, and authentication services for data transmission by embedding encryption and authentication information in IP packets. In the industrial Internet of Things, IP Se c is widely used in the establishment of remote VPN virtual private networks to ensure the security of data transmission across regions and networks. For a 4G cellular router, configuring IPSec not only protects sensitive information during data transmission from being stolen or tampered with, but also effectively resists network attacks and malicious intrusions.

IPSec setting method of 4g cellular router

1、Preparatory work

Understand the network environment: Identify the network environment in which the 4G cellular router is located, including the 4G network parameters provided by the operator and the IP address allocation of the router.
Selecting security protocols: Selecting appropriate IPSec security protocols and encryption algorithms based on actual needs, such as ESP encapsulation security payload protocol, AES advanced encryption standard encryption algorithm, etc.
Planning subnet division: Plan the IP address ranges for local and peer subnets to ensure that IPSec policies can correctly match and route data packets.

2、Configure IPSec policy

Log in to the router management interface：Log in to the management interface of the 4G cellular router through a browser or dedicated management software.

Create a new IPSec policy：Find the IPSec related settings in the management interface and create a new IPSec policy. Set parameters such as local subnet, peer subnet, security protocol, and encryption algorithm in the policy.

Configure IKE Internet Key Exchange：IKE is a key exchange protocol for IPSec, used to negotiate and establish security associations (SAs) between communicating parties. Configure IKE parameters in the IPSec policy, including IKE version, pre-shared key, DHDiffie-Hellman group, and so on.

3、Binding interface and strategy

Select interface: Bind the interface that needs to enable IPSec, such as WAN port or specific VLAN interface, with IPSec policy.
Enable NAT traversal：If there are NAT network address translation devices in the network, the NAT traversal function of IPSec needs to be enabled to ensure that data packets can be transmitted correctly.

4、Testing and Validation

Test connection: After configuration is complete, verify whether the IPSec connection is successfully established through actual testing. You can use the ping command, packet capture tools, and other methods to check the integrity and security of data transmission.
Monitoring and Logging: Enable the monitoring and logging features of the router, and periodically check the status and log information of the IPSec connection to promptly identify and resolve issues.

Matters needing attention

● Balancing Security and Performance: When selecting encryption algorithms and key lengths, it is necessary to strike a balance between security and performance. Although long keys and complex algorithms can improve security, they can also increase computational burden and latency.

● Compatibility check: Before configuring IPSec, it is necessary to ensure that both parties in communication, such as the headquarters and branch offices, have routers or firewall devices that support the same IPSec protocol and encryption algorithm.
● Key management: Pre-shared keys are an important component of IPSec authentication, and need to be properly kept and regularly replaced to avoid the risk of leakage.
● Network planning: Rationally plan subnet division and routing strategies to ensure the correct routing and transmission of IPSec packets.
● Practical use case: secure communication between branches and headquarters
Each of which has deployed a 4G cellular router to access the Internet. In order to achieve secure communication between branches and headquarters, the enterprise decided to configure IPSec VPN on the 4G cellular router. The specific configuration process is as follows:
● Headquarters configuration: The headquarters router uses a static public IP address and is configured as the server side of the IPSec VPN. Create a new IPSec policy on the 4G cellular router, set the local subnet to the headquarters intranet address range, and set the peer subnet to the subnet address range of each branch. Configure IKE parameters and pre-shared key at the same time.
● Branch configuration: Each branch's 4G cellular router uses the 4G network to dynamically obtain an IP address and configure it as a client for IPSec VPN. Create a new IPSec policy and IKE parameters on the 4G cellular router that are identical to those of the headquarters, and set the pre-shared key to match that of the headquarters.
● Testing and verification: After configuration, verify whether the IPSec VPN connection is successfully established through actual testing. Each branch can safely access the headquarters' intranet resources to achieve remote transmission and sharing of data.
Through the above configuration, the enterprise successfully achieved secure communication between branches and headquarters, providing strong security guarantees for industrial IoT applications such as remote monitoring, data collection, and device control.