DD-WRT PXE Across the WEB?

[chavenor]

GOAL: PXE boot across the web a device from a fog server located in another geo location.

Below are my settings for DD-WRT which work just fine for local setups.
dhcp-boot=pxelinux.0,x.x.x.x

My Networks. <----> = CONNECTIONS

(Device I want to PXE Boot) <--------> (Cable Modem/Router)<--------->(INTERNET)<---------> (DSL Modem/Router) <—> (DDWRT Router)< —>(FOG Server)

What I’ve come up with — VPN the two DD-WRT routers together and bridge one of them (the non-fog server one) Not sure if I’m able to forwarded all traffic through the VPN pipe with these modem routers acting as a first line of defense? Firewalls and the like? Anyone have any clues as to how to do this…

[url]http://www.dd-wrt.com/wiki/index.php/VPN_(the_easy_way)_v24%2B#Creating_Certificates[/url]

I can’t remove the first set of routers and their DNS services as I have a bunch of other crap running on those.

Anyone have any input for me?

If i get this working I’ll setup a tutorial and post it here in the forum.

Thanks again! FOG SERVER rocks it!

[noviceuser]

It seems to me that you need to tunnel your devices. If you have more than one device I would use that to create a tunnel (point to point VPN) to the other side and then go through that. In other words:

PXE <—> DHCP Server w/VPN to Other network and routing <----we shouldn’t care what is here----> Other side of VPN <—> TFTP server

I don’t know why that wouldn’t work. Now doing an “on demand dial vpn”… that I’m not sure of.

On the DHCP server you should have a static route that would go through it to your TFTP server. My understanding as to how it works is that you send a special DHCP request (your PXE boot) to the DHCP server which says “here is an IP now you want to go here” (that is the helper IP for the special PXE request). From there it is only a matter as to HOW to get there. If you have a VPN tunnel established then you should be able to route across that and hit the TFTP server.

Your only issue at that point is more TFTP than anything. I don’t know how it works with FOG but when the TFTP image is brought down if you have issues on your network it will fail and have to start again. What I do not know is how FOG sends the image. if it is TFTP then you have to keep your fingers crossed. If it is more involved and accounts for network congestion/issues during the transfer then it should be fine.

[Kevin]

FOG uses NFS to send unicast images to computers.

[noviceuser]

Then I would assume it should be ok once you have gotten to the part where the machine is pulling the Image down.