Cannot connect to work via VPN with Virgin Media broadband

[tauqeerjamadar]

Hi,

I would just like to find out from other Virgin Media broadband members here if you are able to use VPN over your VMbb connection.

I am currently on 2Mbps via a set top box, my VPN connection works fine from a non VM connection. I have pinged the VPN connection that I want to use (when connected to the set top box) and I get packets returned from 192.168.1.1 - which is a local address - the set top box I presume (there is nothing between my pc and set top box - direct connection).

I have called the VM technical team (on a 25p/m number ) and they have said that I cannot use VPN on VMbb, however they are selling VPN software to use with the VMbb connection

So basically, just want to find out from the community:
1) Can you use VPN over VMbb?
2) Is there any setup involved?
3) If it has to be activated by VM, who should I speak to with regards to the setup?

Many thanks and great appreciations in advance

[OldGeezer]

1) Yes
2) No
3) N/A

Sorry, can't help you further (I don't know much about VPNs). Mine just works as set up by the office tech.

You might get further help from other peeps if you say which client etc. you're using.

[Uncle Peter]

If you are just trying to connect to a vpn concentrator/gateway on your corporate network perimeter then:

1. Yes
2. No
3. No

Can you actually access anything (websites etc) via your stb? I didn't know there was still a 2MB service in existence.

1. Yes
2. No
3. Didn't have to

[Uncle Peter]

I'd do a traceroute to the vpn endpoint and find out where the traffic is trying to go and wouldn't rely on ping as the chances are it will be denied. If it's not a general problem with your service it could be dodgy routing.

Your network admins don't restrict connections to specific addresses/ranges do they?

Hmmm have you checked your machine for persistent routes? just to determine that there are no local conflicts

[Lord Nikon]

Current ports blocked by vm are as follows

135 DCOM Service Control Manager
136 PROFILE Naming System
137 NetBIOS Name Service
138 NetBIOS Datagram Service
139 NetBIOS Session Service
445 Microsoft Directory Services


Standard VPN port usage is 1571 for PPTP, and 500, 50,51 for IPSEC so it shouldn't affect you

[tauqeerjamadar]

Thanks for all your promt replies!

I followed the trace route path, I get a reply back from 192.168.1.1

Virgin media say that the set top box is 192.168.100.51.

I am directly connected to the set top box, no other hardware in the middle.

1) So (and pardon my ignorance), what exactly is 192.168.1.1?
2) Why is it returning results on tracert?

For the record, I have connected outside the VM bb connection, and I am not aware of any restrictions on my work server side of things, but I will double check it. Currently about 5-6 folks connect to work via the same VPN network, so I dont think there is an issue from work point of things.

Thanks in advance

Tauqeer

[Uncle Peter]

Originally Posted by tauqeerjamadar

Thanks for all your promt replies!

I followed the trace route path, I get a reply back from 192.168.1.1

Virgin media say that the set top box is 192.168.100.51.

I am directly connected to the set top box, no other hardware in the middle.

1) So (and pardon my ignorance), what exactly is 192.168.1.1?
2) Why is it returning results on tracert?

For the record, I have connected outside the VM bb connection, and I am not aware of any restrictions on my work server side of things, but I will double check it. Currently about 5-6 folks connect to work via the same VPN network, so I dont think there is an issue from work point of things.

Thanks in advance

Tauqeer

You don't have internet connection sharing (ICS) enabled do you?

[tauqeerjamadar]

Hi Uncle Peter,

No ICS is not on. Is it something that has to be on?

Thanks for a quick response

[SimpleSimon]

What VPN software are you using?

I use Cisco VPN software and can connect to my work without any issues over my 20MB BB.

Perhaps you can copy the output of your traceroute.

Simon

[tauqeerjamadar]

I use the windows default connection (Create a new connection).

This is the output of tracert. Once again - I am connected to the set top box. I get the same thing when I am connected via wireless on a netgear wgr614 router with default settings and WEP enabled


C:\Documents and Settings\Tauqeer>tracert vpn.accountingframeworks.com

Tracing route to vpn.accountingframeworks.com [192.168.1.1]
over a maximum of 30 hops:

1 28 ms 1 ms 1 ms vpn.accountingframeworks.com [192.168.1.1]

Trace complete.

[Uncle Peter]

Originally Posted by tauqeerjamadar

I use the windows default connection (Create a new connection).

This is the output of tracert. Once again - I am connected to the set top box. I get the same thing when I am connected via wireless on a netgear wgr614 router with default settings and WEP enabled


C:\Documents and Settings\Tauqeer>tracert vpn.accountingframeworks.com

Tracing route to vpn.accountingframeworks.com [192.168.1.1]
over a maximum of 30 hops:

1 28 ms 1 ms 1 ms vpn.accountingframeworks.com [192.168.1.1]

Trace complete.

Hmm that would imply that vpn.accountingframeworks.com is resolving to that address, maybe from your hosts file?

nslookup from here on that hostname returns: 212.240.210.194

Maybe you could specify this address in your vpn connection host parameters instead of the hostname.

[SimpleSimon]

I think your problem is that your computer is not giving the correct IP for the site you are trying to connect to. When I try to ping vpn.accountframeworks.com my system resolves the name to this IP 212.240.210.194, which is completely different to your DNS resolution.

If you can surf the net OK then I suspect that you may have a misconfigured Hosts file or some other incorrect DNS entry for this web address.

Hope this helps

Simon

Too slow

[tauqeerjamadar]

YES! that worked

Thanks a great deal everyone!

[Uncle Peter]

Excellent. good that you can now get in but now you have to do some work