VPN problem with Linksys RV082, QuickVPN and AOL Broadband

[AltenDesign]

I am using the Linksys QuickVPN to connect to my office, which is using a Linksys RV082 VPN router. I've configured two other remote sites to connect to the office (One is using Roadrunner and the other Sprint DSL) and it works great. However, one of the people needing a connection to the office is using AOL Cable Broadband. When the AOL person uses QuickVPN to make a connection to the office they (eventually) receive the error "The remote gateway is not responding".

Both AOL and Linksys support claim that this should work. Linksys states that this particular error indicates that I can communicate with the RV082, but "something else" is getting in the way. Linksys was pretty insistent that this works as long as only one computer at the remote site is using the AOL connection - which is the case.

All firewalls have been disabled. I even tried a clean machine running only Windows XP pro, the AOL software and QuickVPN with the same results. I've read about all the AOL related VPN issues but am hoping that maybe Linksys is right and I am doing something wrong. Any ideas?

 

[netmanrick]

What AOL will not admit to is their network is a VPN.
Linksys ain't the problem!
Is the AOL connection running on top of a ISP's equipment ?
If so,ter VPN with out using AOL application.

Just my $.02 worth

Rick Harris
SC Dept of Motor Vehicles
Network Operations

 

[AltenDesign]

The cable modem service is probided by Brighthouse with AOL as the internet provider. The setup uses a Toshiba PCX 2600 cable modem thru which the AOL software connects to the internet. When you boot the machine it is granted a IP# without starting AOL. But, of course, you don't have internet access. Attempting to run the QuickVPN software w/o starting AOL gives an immediate error.

I've read that getting a VPN connection using AOL Broadband is difficult at best. I explained all of this to the Linksys folks but they were pretty certain that it should work anyway. Maybe QuickVPN doesn't follow the same tunneling rules as a traditional VPN connection, allowing it to work anyway. All I know for certain is that I can't seem to get it to work for me.