Cisco VPN Not Connecting (Cable Modem, Win2k)

[subnoize]

I am trying to connect my work laptop to the network via a VPN connection from my home. I am using the following equipment:

IBM R50 laptop
TimeWarner Cable High-Speed (and Router)

When I click "Connect" on the VPN client, it does not even get to the login screen... it gives me the following error when I look up the 'Notifications':


Initializing the connection…
Secure VPN Connection terminated locally by the Client.
Reason 429: Unable to resolve server address.

Connection terminated on: May 13, 2006 20:29:48 Duration:
Not connected.


I am leaning towards believing that this is an issue with MY personal highspeed set up and I should contact TimeWarner. What does everybody think? I can't access the internet or anything, however my laptop does show the network cable being plugged in and the activity lights do blink. Thoughts?

Thank you!!!

 

[John Lewis]

I can't access the internet or anything

You need to deal with this problem first. Until you are able to connect to internet resources, you will not be able to connect to the VPN server over the internet.

 

[subnoize]

I apologize, I should have been a little more clear. Please let me know if this helps...

I have a desktop HP hooked up to my cable modem and I can access the internet with no issues from that PC. When I plug the cable into my lapop, that is when I can not access the internet or VPN. I can't figure out what the difference is between the set up of my laptop versus my desktop. Thanks for the help!

 

[John Lewis]

I understood correctly. You must correct the problem with the laptop connecting to the internet before you can even think about the VPN problem. I suspect the VPN connection will work fine once you get the first problem taken care of.

It sounds like you are disconnecting the desktop from the cable modem and connecting the laptop to the cable modem using the same network cable. Check your TCP/IP settings for the network connection on the laptop:

Click Start-->Settings-->Network and Dialup Connections-->Right click on your network connection and select properties. Now highlight Internet Protocol (TCP/IP) and click the Properties button. The "Obtain an IP address automatically" and "Obtain DNS server address automatically" options should both be marked.

If both of those options were already selected, open a command prompt and type "ipconfig /release" and press enter. Next, type "ipconfig /renew" and press enter. Report any odd messages.

 

[subnoize]

I tried as you said and I got the following messages:

When I typed "ipconfig /release" it said:
"All adapters bound to DHCP do not have DHCP addresses. The addresses were automatically configured and can not be released.

When I typed "ipconfig /renew" it said:
"The following error occured when renewing adapter Local Area Connection: DHCP Server unreachable"

I'm starting to think this has something to do with a proxy being in the way of my connection. I must use a proxy at work to access the internet when docked at my desk, however I disable the proxy when I get home. That is the only other thing I can think of that could be causing my issue. I reset the cable modem and I disabled and then enabled my network connection, all to no avail.

 

[cambo2k]

I have had a similar issue before at a couple of different locations. Here is what i had to do to connect.

First - the cable modem may have to be reset, some times it gets connected to the MAC of the device that was on there before and will not let go. Unplug the cable modem, wait a minute and then plug it back in.

Second time was an issue with the ISP, they bind the MAC to that cable modem and you either have to get them to reset this or go on the PC that will connect to the internet and there might be a web page to go to for you connection. You log in and reset the MAC's associated with your connection. (We use Telus in Western Canada and this was the issue there).

I suspect that the reset of the cable modem (option 1) will do the trick. After doing that make sure that your laptop gets an IP address and you can get to the internet before you start your VPN client.

Ohh yah - make sure that if you have a proxy that you have this turned off or set to automatic.

Cambo

 

[cambo2k]

One more thing - what version of the Cisco client are you running on your laptop? We had issues with one version and moved to another (4.0.2D).
First thing you have to do is get an IP address though.

 

[subnoize]

That is my issue right now... connecting the VPN is, at this moment, my second goal. I can not even get an IP address. It won't release and it won't renew. The VPN works through the dial-up so I know that the VPN software is not the issue, it's my computer or the setup.

Last night I tried resetting the cable modem and doing all that, still with no luck. I will have my IT team at work take a look at it today. It may be anything from a NIC card issue, all the way up to the way my company sets up the laptop for logging in from home.

 

[CarSalesman]

Subnoize: It sounds like you are trying to connect multiple computers directly to your cable modem, without a router. The cable modem can only communicate with one PC at at a time (via an IP address the cable issues to the PC, the cable modem is acting as a DHCP server).

A router plugs into the cable modem. The cable modem thinks the router is one PC. The router forms another network behind itself, and is capable of issuing multiple simultaneous IP addresses from the router's DHCP server. Think of the router as a splitter (although that's not how it works, it makes it easy to understand). All your PCs plug into the router, or any network that is behind it. You can get a router at any electronics store, for about $50.

If you are actually disconnecting or powering off your desktop computer before using the laptop, you can do it without the router, but you have to reset the cable modem so that it issues an IP address to your laptop. Once the cable modem has issued an address to your desktop, it won't issue another one until the modem is reset.

The key here is that many cable modems must be powered off for 10 minutes before they will reset. That's why your laptop can't get or renew an IP address. Unplug your desktop from the network, power off the cable modem for 10 minutes, turn the modem and laptop back on, and you'll be good to go.

On your laptop, go into control panel | network | local connection | properties | TC-IP properties and make sure it says "obtain an address automatically".