VPN woes !

aliferste · 06-02-2005, 14:22

Hello there,
After advice on the forum I have networked 2 computers together using the ethernet ports and a crossover cable.
Please dont say anything about routers I just wanted the simplest and cheapest way possible.

Anyway.

The two computers are

1. My main computer....it is the one connected to the internet...everything fine!

2. The new work computer. It has 2 partitions. 1 for private use and one for work use that uses a VPN to connect to work.

On the new computer on the private part it connects to the internet just fine and everything goes swimmingly.
However on the other part...the work part... using the VPN it just does not connect.
I thought it would just be a case of getting the internet running and it would just go....(how daft of me)

Any ideas?

Tezcatlipoca · 06-02-2005, 14:24

Maybe the VPN needs a proper public IP to work, rather than a private IP obtained from the main PC using ICS? Could you swap them round, so the one you want to use VPN on is the main one connected to the internet?

MovedGoalPosts · 06-02-2005, 14:32

What is it with VPN today, everyone is having problems:
http://www.cableforum.co.uk/board/sh...ad.php?t=23693

To be honest I don't know if it can be done using shared internet connections on PCs. You might want to try:

The first question, can you new main PC get a VPN connection. If it can that rules out any issues between it and the internet. If it cannot, that's going to be the first thing to sort.

Are there any firewalls running on your main PC, you'd need to permit VPN passthrough.

I hate to say it, but can't resist, this might be where just having a router would be the simple way to do it.

__________________

Quote:

Originally Posted by Matt D

Maybe the VPN needs a proper public IP to work, rather than a private IP obtained from the main PC using ICS? Could you swap them round, so the one you want to use VPN on is the main one connected to the internet?

Wouldn't have thought that was it. After all I'm behind a router here that issues private IPs to the PCs, with public IP issued to the STB/router by the NTL network.

aliferste · 06-02-2005, 14:44

Helloha, thanks for the replys.

I cannot use the work computer as the main computer as I cannot add another ethernet port to it.

Another thing is that on the private side of the work computer it will not connect to the internet iether. So I suppose if it is not connecting to the net the actual network is not ......um....working on that side.

I have no idea how to set up a VPN on my main computer as everything was already set up on the work one.......A little dialer type box comes up and it asks for a username and pass......it then says authenticating user and then does nowt.

The more I think about it, it is strange how the work side cannot connect to the net at all.

If she had got a laptop we could have had a cool wifi network but she got this heap o junk!!

MovedGoalPosts · 06-02-2005, 15:21

Hmm, until you can get a basic internet connection running on your homes Work PC your going to have issues. Are you effectively rebooting your PC onto a different partition and OS when you use PC 2 in work side mode rather than home side mode. If so you may need to run the internet connection sharing wizards on the work side again.

aliferste · 06-02-2005, 15:24

Quote:

Originally Posted by MovedGoalPosts

Are you effectively rebooting your PC onto a different partition and OS when you use PC 2 in work side mode rather than home side mode. If so you may need to run the internet connection sharing wizards on the work side again.

That is exactly what I am doing.

The thing is...it does not appear to actually have the internet connection wizard

MovedGoalPosts · 06-02-2005, 15:30

Assuming you are using Win XP, there are some easy wizards available to setup your VPN connection (assuming that tha is how it was done originally, and you didn't load in other software).

You should be able to find most of the info you need to setup a connection from your old work PC settings. Look under Network connections in Control Panel. There should be a listing for the VPN connector you use in there. Right clicking will enable you to see Properties. The key one you will want is the Host Name / IP address of destination under the general tab. Most other things should be able to be defaulted (but worth copying them down anyway).

Running Win XP Home, I have options under control panel and Network and Internet Connections to simply "Create a connection to the network at your workplace". Run that and see what happens.
__________________

Quote:

Originally Posted by aliferste

That is exactly what I am doing.

The thing is...it does not appear to actually have the internet connection wizard

That's got me stumped. What OS are you using, and is it effectively a dual OS machine?

aliferste · 06-02-2005, 15:54

The way it looks is that it is a dual OS machine. At startup you get an option to iether go to work or private.
There are lots of settings that you cannot touch in the work part...........and OH MY BAGOOMBAS. I have just deleted the part that is in the network part which is to do with connecting to the workplace.

Well games a bogey now I suppose. I will just let my partner phone up her IT support people and let them sort it out.

Thansk anyways

06-02-2005, 16:24

A rather obvious one, but are you sure the 'works' setup doesn't have a static IP address?

aliferste · 06-02-2005, 20:11

Quote:

Originally Posted by JohnHorb

A rather obvious one, but are you sure the 'works' setup doesn't have a static IP address?

I am not sure, why would it have a static IP addy?

MovedGoalPosts · 06-02-2005, 20:18

Only the network being connected to i.e. the office, needs a static IP addy. The client IP can normally change about quite happily if you can connect just to the internet directly from the client. But, if you have to, as in this instance, now go through another PC to get your internet connection, you may need the IP to be more fixed, so that enough ports in firewalls and things can be opened up for passthrough.

Internet connection sharing may have appeared to be the cheap option, but I suspect it's quote confusing. If VPN is essential for a job, ask the employer to pay for a router (they are perhaps already paying or contributing towards the broadband connection - remembering ntl's directions that its for residential use).

06-02-2005, 20:28

Businesses quite often use static IPs on their internal networks. If this is the case, and you are not allowed to 'mess' with the settings, you may have to do some 'jiggery-pokery' with your ICS settings to make it fit in by using the same sub-net as the 'works' setting. (You'd have to do the same with a router, by the way). Can you open a command window (start/all programs/Accessories/Command Prompt) and type

ipconfig /all

Post the results (with the last three digits of the IP address and 'Physical address' blanked out for security)

j2tts · 06-02-2005, 21:14

Just a quicky response

I use VPN and when I installed it on the literature sent with it by our IT department it mentioned that you cant internet share (ICS) and VPN at the same time. I used to disable and re-enable to connect but got fed up of re-setting up me network so I just went out and bought a Linksys broadband router with the advice of some chaps on here.

http://www.cableforum.co.uk/board/sh...ad.php?t=14797

Jim
__________________

oops

Forgot somethiing

I can VPN into work from all PC's on my home network with no problems, even from the laptop on me lap

Jim

aliferste · 06-02-2005, 22:02

Oh Buger!

I may have to buy a router after all. Out of interest to have a wireless network is it just something that plugs into the ethernet port or is actually a card that you must install?

danielf · 06-02-2005, 22:16

Quote:

Originally Posted by aliferste

Oh Buger!

I may have to buy a router after all. Out of interest to have a wireless network is it just something that plugs into the ethernet port or is actually a card that you must install?

It's a pci card. But if you get a wireless router, it will have ethernet ports as well, so you could connect your own pc wirelessly, and have a cable connection to the work machine.