VPN Successful...Remote Desktop cannot connect?

[DragonQ0105]

Hi, this is really a continuation of my other thread, but since I got VPN to work by assigning manual IP Addresses, the problem has changed somewhat...

Basically, PC1 and PC2 can connect via VPN to each other and to themselves. No Problem.

So, I start remote Desktop on PC1. No computers are found. Fine. Type in various IP Addresses (e.g. IP Address of PC2, IP Address of VPN Server, IP Address of PC1 which was assigned by PC2 etc.). All either say "Client Could not connect to Remote Computer" or "You are already connected to the Console of the computer".

Both PC1 have "Remote Desktop" Enabled in System Properties, and both PCs have Remote Desktop Ports open via the VPN Connections etc.

Any ideas?

 

[DragonQ0105]

I have discovered that pinging between the PCs doesn't work either...Error 65 (which is caused by ICS being on, or using ZoneAlarm - none of which apply in this case).

Also, typing "\\82.32.200.3" (the IP being assigned to the Host), gives nothing.

Although the VPN is enabled, and the connection is active, the PCs cannot interact.

Do they have to be part of a Domain? Currently, they are part of a Workgroup (called WORKGROUP)...

 

[DragonQ0105]

Well, here's a weird thingy

If I use this website to install the Remote Desktop ActiveX Client, I can access PC2 from PC1 straight away. Although it's very slow considering they're both 1Mbps connections and it's meant to work on 28kbps Modems too...lol.

So, if I can do this, why won't Remote Desktop let me access my PC using it's IP OR when I'm connected via a VPN?! There must be a setting or something because the actual system appears to work fine if I can do it via the Internet...

 

[John Lewis]

Reading your earlier post, it appears that you are connecing two machines that each have a dedicated internet connection. NAT is not involved here. Very well.

You need to change the IP addresses assigned to VPN connection to something in the private address space. Try specifying an address range of 192.168.5.100 to 192.168.5.102 on the server.

On a related (but not drastically important) note . . . Someone earlier suggested that you use 192.168.0 or 192.168.1 addresses under the impression that you had a network on each side of the VPN. If you have already configured this way, that is fine. I do not like to use those ranges simply because so many others use those by default. If you were to try to connect to another private network in the future, you are more likely to hava an address conflict.

When you wish to connect to a one of the computers on your VPN connection, you need to use the address assigned to the VPN, not the public address. With the connection active, open the properties of the VPN node and click the details tab. Should give your address, as well as the address for the remote side.

On another note . . . never, ever, ever post a full public IP address anywhere on the internet. (See second post in this thread.) Just asking for someone to try to hack you.

 

[DragonQ0105]

To the note about typing the IP: I have changed that IP after realising I typed it, so no probs there.

So the assigned IPs MUST start with 192.168.xxx.xxx? At the moment, I use the prefix of the current internet connection of both PCs (they're the same since they use the same company's broadband), but changed the last 2 parts....will that not work?

 

[John Lewis]

So the assigned IPs MUST start with 192.168.xxx.xxx?

Technically no. It is possible to use other network addresses, but you should not use public IP addresses that are not assigned to you.

The 192.168.xxx.xxx numbers are set aside for private networks. There are other blocks of numbers that are set aside in the same way, but in the situation you have described, the 192.168 is the best choice.

The assigned IPs SHOULD start with 192.168.xxx.xxx