When your company expands into new offices, data centers, or cloud environments, the need for secure, always-on connectivity becomes critical. A business VPN makes it possible to link remote sites over the public internet without compromising security.
This guide shows you exactly how to setup a site to site VPN, step by step, using real-world examples and clear language. Whether you’re connecting a branch office or headquarters, this walkthrough covers the full setup — and highlights what most businesses miss.
What Is a Site-to-Site VPN?
A site-to-site VPN creates an encrypted connection between two or more networks. It allows devices on different LANs to communicate securely as if they were on the same local network.
This type of VPN is widely used by businesses that have multiple offices, remote teams, or hybrid cloud deployments. Unlike remote-access VPNs, which connect a single user to a network, a site-to-site VPN setup links entire networks together.
If your team needs access to central servers, file systems, or internal apps from different locations, this setup is essential.
Why Site-to-Site VPNs Matter for Business?
For growing companies, the ability to scale securely is key. A business VPN gives you full control of your network while keeping sensitive data safe — without expensive leased lines.
Here’s why IT teams rely on site-to-site VPNs:
- End-to-end encryption: Your traffic is protected across the internet.
- Always-on: No need for users to connect manually — the tunnel stays live.
- Low cost: Securely link sites using your existing internet connection.
- Centralized control: Manage everything from one place.
- Cloud integration: Connect on-prem networks with public clouds like AWS and Azure.
But managing IPsec tunnels, keys, and failover isn’t easy. That’s why many service providers and enterprise teams choose a business VPN partner that can handle it all.
PureVPN White Label lets you offer the same connectivity through your own branded platform — minus the maintenance headache.
What You Need Before You Start?
Before you begin your site to site VPN setup, make sure you have the following:
- VPN-compatible hardware: Routers, firewalls, or cloud services that support IPsec.
- Static public IP addresses: For each site (or Dynamic DNS if using changing IPs).
- Pre-shared key or digital certs: For authenticating the connection.
- Unique subnets: No overlapping IP ranges.
- Open firewall ports: Typically UDP 500 and UDP 4500.
Knowing how to setup site to site VPN properly starts with strong planning. Or, you can sidestep this complexity and launch instantly with PureVPN’s managed platform — already configured for security and scalability.
Site-to-Site VPN Setup: Step-by-Step
Let’s walk through how to configure everything manually, step by step.
Step 1: Define Your IP Ranges
Each network needs its own internal subnet. Overlapping IPs will break routing.
- HQ: 192.168.10.0/24
- Branch: 192.168.20.0/24
Simple, clean, and ready for routing.
Step 2: Configure Site A’s VPN Gateway
In your router or firewall, create a new IPsec tunnel:
- Remote site’s public IP
- Local and remote subnets
- Matching pre-shared key
- Phase 1 and 2 parameters (AES-256, SHA-256, DH Group 14)
If this sounds technical — because it is — consider whether your internal team should be focused here or outsourcing to a managed business VPN provider who’s done this thousands of times.
Step 3: Mirror the Setup on Site B
Use the same parameters and reverse the local/remote networks.
This is the setup site to site VPN IpSec phase where both ends need perfect alignment.
You miss one setting — the tunnel drops. That’s time lost, and productivity stalled.
Step 4: Routing
Define static or dynamic routes so that each site knows how to reach the other.
If routing isn’t done correctly, even a working tunnel won’t move traffic.
A reliable business VPN solution handles this automatically behind the scenes, and dynamically updates routes when your environment changes.
Step 5: Test Everything
Once the tunnel is up, test connectivity between machines on either side.
If pings fail, double-check:
- Encryption mismatch
- IP/subnet typos
- Firewall rules
- NAT or overlapping addresses
Connecting Two AWS Accounts via VPN
Sometimes departments or teams operate in two separate AWS accounts, but need secure access.
To set up a site-to-site VPN between two AWS accounts:
- Use one account’s VPC gateway to connect to the other’s customer gateway.
- Mirror the tunnel configuration.
- Update route tables on both sides.
Common VPN Challenges (and a Simpler Fix)
Problems that come up when doing this manually:
- IPsec phase mismatch
- Static IP changes
- Routing conflicts
- Tunnel instability
- No failover
This is why so many companies abandon DIY setups and move to a managed business VPN model with white-label options. You gain stability, support, and scale — without deep packet inspection or firewall logs.
The Real Drawback of Site-to-Site VPNs
Let’s be honest — they work, but they’re work.
Here are the cons of site-to-site VPN:
- High setup time
- Lots of manual configuration
- Not built for user mobility
- Limited visibility unless you invest in monitoring tools
- Tough to scale when you add more sites
If you’d rather focus on running your business — not maintaining tunnels — that’s the whole reason you should opt for white label VPNs instead.
PureVPN White Label: A Smarter Way to Deliver Business VPN
Instead of building from scratch, you can launch your own VPN product under your brand — powered by our secure infrastructure.
Whether you’re a service provider, SaaS vendor, cybersecurity consultant, or enterprise IT team, here’s what you get:
- Fully branded VPN solution — your logo, your UX
- Custom apps for desktop & mobile
- Site-to-site connectivity support
- Global infrastructure (6,500+ servers in 70+ countries)
- Multi-tenant admin dashboard
- Zero-log architecture
- 24/7 enterprise support
You don’t just get a VPN — you get a plug-and-play business VPN platform that delivers enterprise-grade security, branding, and revenue opportunity.
Final Word
Yes, you can build a site-to-site VPN on your own. You can deal with subnets, IPsec tunnels, routing rules, and firewalls. But is that the best use of your team’s time?
When you need secure, reliable, and scalable connectivity — not just between offices but across cloud and hybrid environments — a business VPN solution like PureVPN White Label simplifies everything.
Whether you’re an MSP or a modern enterprise, this is the most efficient way to deliver site-to-site security, globally.