Peering via Tunnel
Overview of tunnel-based peering options with AS203314, including Layer 2 and Layer 3 tunneling protocols.
Establishing a peering connection with AS203314 via tunnel is useful when physical interconnection is not feasible. We support both Layer 2 and Layer 3 tunneling protocols.
When to Use Tunnel Peering
Tunnel peering is typically used when:
- You're not co-located with us at any IXP or data center
- Physical cross-connect is not available or cost-prohibitive
- You need a temporary peering arrangement before establishing physical connectivity
- You're in a region where we don't have physical presence
Layer 2 vs Layer 3 Tunneling
Layer 2 tunnels encapsulate Ethernet frames, creating a virtual bridge between networks.
Protocols: GRETAP, VxLAN
Use cases:
- Carrying VLAN-tagged traffic
- Running bridging protocols (STP, LLDP)
- Extending a broadcast domain
Considerations: Higher overhead than Layer 3, not suitable for long-distance peering.
Layer 3 tunnels encapsulate IP packets, operating at the network layer.
Protocols: WireGuard, GRE, SIT/ip6gre
Use cases:
- Standard BGP peering
- IPv6 transport over IPv4 (6in4)
- Encrypted peering (WireGuard)
Considerations: Lower overhead, more efficient for most peering scenarios.
Configuration Examples
All tunnel configurations use placeholder values that you'll replace with actual values:
# Replace these placeholders with your actual values
your_name: "{tunnel name}"
yourside_ip: "{your public IP}"
ourside_ip: "{our endpoint IP}"
yourside_port: "{your source port (WireGuard)}"
ourside_port: "{our destination port (WireGuard)}"
your_tunnel_ip: "{your tunnel IP address}"
our_tunnel_ip: "{our tunnel IP address}"
tunnel_cidr: "{tunnel subnet CIDR}"
vni: "{VxLAN Network Identifier}"
public_key: "{our WireGuard public key}"
private_key: "{your WireGuard private key}"Protocol Comparison
| Protocol | Layer | Encryption | Multi-protocol | Use Case |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| WireGuard | L3 | Yes | IPv4/IPv6 | Secure, modern peering |
| GRE | L3 | No | IPv4/IPv6 | Simple IP tunneling |
| GRETAP | L2 | No | Ethernet | Bridging, VLANs |
| VxLAN | L2 | No | Ethernet | Data center overlay |
| SIT | L3 | No | IPv6-over-IPv4 | 6in4 connectivity |
| ip6gre | L3 | No | IPv6-over-IPv4 | GRE for IPv6 |
Layer 2 Tunnels
GRETAP and VxLAN for Ethernet-layer encapsulation.
Layer 3 Tunnels
WireGuard, GRE, and SIT for IP-layer encapsulation.
Next Steps
- Choose the appropriate tunnel type for your use case
- Follow the configuration examples
- Contact us to finalize the peering session
Need help deciding? For most peering scenarios, Layer 3 tunnels (especially WireGuard or GRE) are recommended due to lower overhead and better performance.