I’m commonly asked “can Windows Server with Routing and Remote Access Service (RRAS) be configured with a single network interface?” This is likely because the official Microsoft documentation references only a multihomed dual NIC configuration, leading many to believe it is a strict requirement.
Single NIC
Deploying Windows Server RRAS with a single network interface is indeed supported and works without issue. There are no functional limitations imposed by using a single network interface. All features are fully supported in this scenario. The choice to use one or two network interfaces is purely a design choice, driven by several factors such as current network configuration and security requirements.
Dual NIC
Although a single NIC configuration is fully supported, there are some important advantages associated with mulithome dual NIC deployments. The following should be considered when deciding between single NIC and dual NIC VPN configurations.
Traffic Segmentation
Having separate internal and external network connections provides logical and physical separation of trusted and untrusted network traffic. Terminating connections from Always On VPN clients on the Internet in an isolated perimeter or DMZ network yields positive security benefits.
Firewall Configuration
Using two network interfaces allows for a more restrictive Windows Firewall policy to be applied to the external interface. This reduces the exposure of running services on the RRAS server to untrusted networks. This is especially critical if the VPN server is Windows Server RRAS and it is joined to a domain.
Network Performance
For very busy RRAS servers, having two network interfaces can improve network performance. With two network interfaces, network traffic is distributed between two network adapters, reducing utilization on each interface.
Dual NIC Best Practices
When deploying an RRAS server with dual NICs, the following recommendations for network interface configuration should be followed.
IP Addressing
Each network interface must be assigned an IP address from a unique subnet. Having both NICs on the same subnet is not supported.
Default Gateway
The default gateway should be configured on the external facing network interface only. The internal interface should not be configured with a gateway. Rather, static routes to any remote internal networks should be configured.
To add a static route on a Windows Server, open an elevated PowerShell command window and run the following command.
New-NetRoute -AddressFamily IPv4 -DestinationPrefix 10.0.0.0/8 -InterfaceAlias ‘Internal’ -NextHop 172.21.12.254
DNS
For domain-joined RRAS servers, corporate DNS servers should be configured on the Internal network interface only. No DNS servers should be configured on the external interface. If the server is not joined to a domain, DNS servers can be configured on whichever interface has connectivity to the defined DNS servers.
NAT
When the RRAS server is behind a device performing Network Address Translation (NAT), the NAT should be configured to translate only the destination address (DNAT). This allows the VPN server (or load balancer for multiserver deployments) to see the client’s original source IP address, which ensures efficient traffic distribution and meaningful log data.
Client, Service, and Protocol Bindings
All unnecessary clients, services, and protocols should be unbound from the external network interface. It is recommended that only the IPv4 and IPv6 protocols be enabled on the external interface, as shown here. Again, this reduces exposure for the server to the untrusted external network.
Summary
The dual NIC, multihomed configuration is generally recommended for most deployments as it offers security and performance advantages over the single NIC configuration. For organizations with less demanding security requirements, a single NIC deployment can be deployed safely without compromising functionality or supportability. In addition, a single NIC deployment may be the best option when multiple networks aren’t readily available.
Additional Information
Windows 10 Always On VPN and Windows Server Routing and Remote Access (RRAS)
Windows 10 Always On VPN Protocol Recommendations for Windows Server RRAS
When configuring Always On VPN, administrators have the option to enable DNS registration for VPN clients. When this option is set, VPN clients will register the IP address assigned to their VPN interface in the internal DNS. This allows client devices to be managed using their hostname from the internal network whenever they are connected remotely.
Windows Server and the Routing and Remote Access Service (RRAS) is a popular choice for Windows 10 Always On VPN deployments. It is easy to implement and support, offers flexible scalability, and is cost-effective. In addition, it provides support for a TLS-based VPN protocol which is required for many deployments.
