Newbie to wan needs to setup win xp client to win nt server vpn

[trevwilson]

Hiya all

I need to connect my home pc to my works network via vpn so that i can work from home due to family problems . At home i have win xp profesional and at work we have a router (BT model 5861) plugged into the main hub and a winnt domain server on the works network.


I have configured the NT server with TCP accepted for incoming calls, RAS started, a vpn port opened etc as per the microsoft guide. And have ensured that my user id on the domain server has dial in permission

However when i try to establish a connection from home i cannot establish a link but get a '678' error, the computer did not respond. I have contacted the ISP at work who say the bt router is not blocking any ports. And i have checked that my home pc does not have winsocks proxy running. I can ping the public IP of the works router fine from home.

Does anyone have any idea what i could be doing wrong? does it matter that the router is plugged straight into the hub rather than the domain server for instance?. Is it possible the router is blocking ports despite the claim by demon? (there is no config option for the router just a login screen).

Any help would be greatly appreciated


Thanks

Trev

 

[John Lewis]

Some details lacking, so I will make some guesses.

It sounds like the router at work is assigned a public IP address. I would assume the server you are trying to connect to has a private IP address, and the BT router is taking care of NAT -- allowing you to connect several computers to the internet using a single public IP.

If this is the case, your router needs to be configured to forward tcp port 1723 to the router. You may also need to allow protocol 47 (sometimes listed as gre) through. I do not have any personal experience, but I have read that the BT5861 router is an Efficient Networks 5861 that has modified firmware, so you may not be able to configure port forwarding without changing the firmware.

You may want to check out

http://www.uk-bug.net/Sections-article10-p1.html

for more information about changing the firmware, but be sure to read the warnings about BT not being happy campers if you do so.

 

[trevwilson]

Thanks for the reply mhkwood

Sorry for the incomplete info!, your spot on with your assumptions.

I suspected it may have been the router that needed configuring, but the Demon helpdesk insisted the router would forward the required port by default.

Thanks for the link, im not sure if my MD would go along with unlocking the router and breaking our BT contract however.

Ill push demon for more information, and if it is the router may opt for an SSL solution such as gotomypc (ive tested this on trial and can access my desktop fine but wanted to avoid a monthly fee)

Many thanks

Trev