IPSec is a secure network protocol that authenticates and encrypts data sent through a VPN tunnel. IPSec uses either version one or version two of the Internet Key Exchange protocol (IKEv1 or IKEv2) to establish a secure connection.
Before you can use IPSec to establish a VPN connection between two devices, you must set up an IPSec policy on each device.
You need the following information to create an IPSec policy:
- The WAN IP address or fully qualified domain name (FQDN) of both devices
- The LAN IP subnet address and mask of both devices
- A pre-shared key (must be the same for both devices)
You also need to make the following decisions (must be the same for both devices):
- Do you want to use IKEv1 or IKEv2?
- What algorithms do you want to use for encryption?
- Do you want to use Aggressive Mode (IKEv1 only) or Main Mode?
- Do you want to use initiator/responder mode or responder mode?
- How often do you want to require the key to be re-established in both phases?
- Do you want to periodically check the connection and attempt to reconnect if it goes dead (Dead Peer Detection)?
- Do you want to use perfect forward secrecy (IKEv1 only)?
For more information: How do I set up a site-to-site IPSec VPN on my NETGEAR BR500 Business Router?
Last Updated:07/07/2025
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Article ID: 000060928