VPN help - forgive my ignorance

[fatbob_158]

I'm following a guide to setting up a VPN at:

http://www.onecomputerguy.com/networking.htm

on a windows XP machine (server behind router), and on a windows ME machine (client, can't do anything about the OS) i have a router (linksys) that i have set to allow PPTP and IPSec to pass through, but i still cannot connect to the VPN server( xp machine) from the client(ME machine). I tried setting up a VPN between some computers at my home (the ones i used are sitting behind a suse router serving up DHCP) following that guide, and it worked great, so my guess is that the router in front of the server (Xp machine) is causing problems. thanks for helping the ignorant masses (IE, myself)

 

[skritch]

Originally posted by fatbob_158
I'm following a guide to setting up a VPN at:

http://www.onecomputerguy.com/networking.htm

on a windows XP machine (server behind router), and on a windows ME machine (client, can't do anything about the OS) i have a router (linksys) that i have set to allow PPTP and IPSec to pass through, but i still cannot connect to the VPN server( xp machine) from the client(ME machine). I tried setting up a VPN between some computers at my home (the ones i used are sitting behind a suse router serving up DHCP) following that guide, and it worked great, so my guess is that the router in front of the server (Xp machine) is causing problems. thanks for helping the ignorant masses (IE, myself)

Your ISP is probably blocking PPTP and/or IPSEC. Many do.

 

[Qualm]

Originally posted by skritch
Your ISP is probably blocking PPTP and/or IPSEC. Many do.

You know, I really think this is a big myth that gets cited far too often as the "cause" of VPN difficulties. No ISP I've ever used or helped our employees connect from has EVER blocked PPTP or IPSEC traffic. I know a few out there do, but "many do" is a gross overstatement in my opinion.

fatbob, are you getting an error message? Which one? Where is the ME machine connecting from (i.e. what is it behind)?

By the way, that guide you linked to contains another very common mis-statement about VPNs: it's not port 47 that need to be opened for PPTP traffic, but protocol 47 (GRE). If you happen to be doing it manually that is - the Linksys router already knows that.

- Qualm

 

[fatbob_158]

The ME machine is setup right behind a cable Modem (is this the problem?), I can get you the exact error message in a few hours, but it was along the lines of "cannot connect to server", and the error number was either 741, or 800, but i should double check.

thanks for your help.

 

[Qualm]

The ME machine directly behind a cable modem shouldn't be a problem. Is the ME machine using a software firewall? Make sure the right ports are open if it is.

Another configuration setting to look at: is the XP machine using a fixed private IP (example: 192.168.1.1) or is it getting one from the router using DHCP? It should have a fixed private IP ... and as that guide stated, the XP machine should be set to serve out an IP from the same range using the same subnet mask to the ME machine.

- Qualm

 

[typhoon43]

Stupid question, but does the router support VPN passthrough? I know some of the older ones do not.

 

[skritch]

Originally posted by Qualm
You know, I really think this is a big myth that gets cited far too often as the "cause" of VPN difficulties. No ISP I've ever used or helped our employees connect from has EVER blocked PPTP or IPSEC traffic. I know a few out there do, but "many do" is a gross overstatement in my opinion.

fatbob, are you getting an error message? Which one? Where is the ME machine connecting from (i.e. what is it behind)?

By the way, that guide you linked to contains another very common mis-statement about VPNs: it's not port 47 that need to be opened for PPTP traffic, but protocol 47 (GRE). If you happen to be doing it manually that is - the Linksys router already knows that.

- Qualm

Many CABLE PROVIDERS do. I think, if you'll read above, you'll see the applicability of this statement.