Airport, Macbook Pro, Parallels, Outlook and VPN - OH MY!

[schulzmc]

OK - here is the problem I am having. I've tried everything and can't find the answer - HELP!

I am running Windows XP on my Macbook Pro using Parallels. I've got a home Airport network and connect fine to the internet on both the Mac and Windows sides. When I run Contivity VPN client on the Windows side I can VPN in and connect to my work network with no problems. I can map the drives and read and write files to our server.

When I am in other wifi locations I can run Outlook and connect to the work Exchange server through the VPN connection with no problems. Only when I am at home, on my home airport network, does the problem happen.

The problem? Outlook says "trying to connect" to the exchange server and then gives up and says "offline."

Any ideas why my airport network seems to be different than any other wifi network when I try to connect to my work exchange server?

Thanks! I'm frustrated and need help!

 

[Westside guy]

The problem? Outlook says "trying to connect" to the exchange server and then gives up and says "offline."

Any ideas why my airport network seems to be different than any other wifi network when I try to connect to my work exchange server?

What port does your VPN run on?

 

[schulzmc]

What port does your VPN run on?

I don't know - how can I find out?

Thanks for the help!

 

[Sesshi]

Apart from buying a proper computer if you want to run VPN / Outlook etc I can recommend checking that:

Local Firewall isn't blocking anything (in Windows - are you running any third party firewalls?). If necessary put the VPN endpoint IP address into the exceptions list.

VPN relies not only on ports being open (I presume they are as default on the AE) but of packets being in reasonable sequence. QoS services can interfere with this if incorrectly configured. Any VoIP services in the house? Is there a router ahead of the AE?

 

[schulzmc]

Strangely enough, I found a solution of sorts.

I still can't get Outlook running in Parallels to connect to my work exchange server, but I have found that Entourage will connect perfectly from home to my work Exchange server.

So - when I am at work I run Windows/Outlook/Parallels to access Exchange, because Entourage won't work there. At home I run Entourage to access Exchange, because Outlook won't work there.

But both sync perfectly and I have all the info I need, so life is good.

Thanks for the help!

 

[Sesshi]

I presume you're accessing Exchange over Entourage without a VPN? (which seems to indicate that your company is not concerned about security, but that's another point)

In which case it seems to be a packet throttling / loss issue. A change of router may solve the problem, but just as equally it could be a DSL issue.

 

[marksd]

Hack Solution to Same Problem with "native" WinXP SP2 on PC laptop

Identical situation here, but using WinXP on a Dell laptop.
I got around the problem by connecting the laptop -directly- to the cable modem and rebooting the cable modem. The PC acquired an address from the ISP, I accessed a web page. Good. Ranthe VPN, accessed a web page; good. Ran outlook, and it WORKED! A pain, but it worked. I tried this approach after finding a suggestion on the page http://www.utexas.edu/its/vpn/troubleshoot.html that recommended not using NAT on the AirPort. My AirPort says it must have a static IP address to the ISP in order for it do dole out DHCP without NAT, and I don't have a static IP address, so I tried the -direct- approach. Someday I might try updating the AirPort firmware to see if I can try something else.

/DLM

 

[Sesshi]

I've never used an Airport at home but I guess it doesn't have VPN passthrough - or you haven't enabled something. I've had decent luck with WRT54G's, perhaps it's worth nipping out and buying one. They're dirt cheap.