VPN friendly ISP ?

Hi,

I have been issued with a laptop to enable home access to my work server. My
company's IT dept are not very helpful so I guess I've got to get to the
bottom of this myself :-

1. I have got a small home network connected to a combined adsl modem/router
model Puretek PT-3812 ( http://www.chipweb.de/dsl/index.php?menu=2&id2=87 )
..
2. Its never been tampered in ~3yrs with and has original Conexant fireware
Firmware Version:
ETHADSL_USB_080902_REL9
Customer Software Version: 080902_REL9
( Maybe my router is missing the necessary features / protocols or just
needs a firmware update or something ?)

3. My ISP is Virgin.net with a dynamic IP


I can connect a lan cable to my laptop and definately get the VPN connection
running successfully. However none of my network paths work :-(

A guy in our IT put a small batch file on the desktop to run after VPN was
enabled, but in each case its " no network path found" . He assures me that
if I definately got the VPN connected that everything should work just as if
it was connected at work.

I've read a few things about certan ISPs filtering the signals relating to
VPNs ( IPsec / PPTP ?? ) . So I rang Virgin.net up ( who are part of NTL
really ) and the tech adviser didn't know, so he checked and called me back
to tell me straight ....VIRGIN DON'T SUPPORT VPN!!!

So assuming my router is okay and Virgin.net definately are the route of the
problem.....does anybody know a good ISP who definately DO support VPN ?????


Pls help
Thx

ToxOgrady has brought this to us :
> Hi,
>
> I have been issued with a laptop to enable home access to my work server. My
> company's IT dept are not very helpful so I guess I've got to get to the
> bottom of this myself :-
>
> 1. I have got a small home network connected to a combined adsl modem/router
> model Puretek PT-3812 ( http://www.chipweb.de/dsl/index.php?menu=2&id2=87 )
> .
> 2. Its never been tampered in ~3yrs with and has original Conexant fireware
> Firmware Version:
> ETHADSL_USB_080902_REL9
> Customer Software Version: 080902_REL9
> ( Maybe my router is missing the necessary features / protocols or just
> needs a firmware update or something ?)
>
> 3. My ISP is Virgin.net with a dynamic IP
>
>
> I can connect a lan cable to my laptop and definately get the VPN connection
> running successfully. However none of my network paths work :-(
>
> A guy in our IT put a small batch file on the desktop to run after VPN was
> enabled, but in each case its " no network path found" . He assures me that
> if I definately got the VPN connected that everything should work just as if
> it was connected at work.
>
> I've read a few things about certan ISPs filtering the signals relating to
> VPNs ( IPsec / PPTP ?? ) . So I rang Virgin.net up ( who are part of NTL
> really ) and the tech adviser didn't know, so he checked and called me back
> to tell me straight ....VIRGIN DON'T SUPPORT VPN!!!
>
> So assuming my router is okay and Virgin.net definately are the route of the
> problem.....does anybody know a good ISP who definately DO support VPN ?????
>
>
> Pls help
> Thx

It's more likely to be your router......or ZoneAlarm blocking it.

I cannot get Cisco VPN Client to connect properly when ZoneAlarm is
running. If I also do not enable "Allow VPN Passthrough" in my router,
it all goes wrong too.

"ToxOgrady" <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote in message
news:KIXih.25811$(E-Mail Removed)...
> Hi,
>
> I have been issued with a laptop to enable home access to my work server.
> My
> company's IT dept are not very helpful so I guess I've got to get to the
> bottom of this myself :-
>
> 1. I have got a small home network connected to a combined adsl
> modem/router
> model Puretek PT-3812 (
> http://www.chipweb.de/dsl/index.php?menu=2&id2=87 )
> .
> 2. Its never been tampered in ~3yrs with and has original Conexant
> fireware
> Firmware Version:
> ETHADSL_USB_080902_REL9
> Customer Software Version: 080902_REL9
> ( Maybe my router is missing the necessary features / protocols or just
> needs a firmware update or something ?)
>
> 3. My ISP is Virgin.net with a dynamic IP
>
>
> I can connect a lan cable to my laptop and definately get the VPN
> connection
> running successfully. However none of my network paths work :-(
>
> A guy in our IT put a small batch file on the desktop to run after VPN was
> enabled, but in each case its " no network path found" . He assures me
> that
> if I definately got the VPN connected that everything should work just as
> if
> it was connected at work.
>
> I've read a few things about certan ISPs filtering the signals relating to
> VPNs ( IPsec / PPTP ?? ) . So I rang Virgin.net up ( who are part of NTL
> really ) and the tech adviser didn't know, so he checked and called me
> back to tell me straight ....VIRGIN DON'T SUPPORT VPN!!!
>
> So assuming my router is okay and Virgin.net definately are the route of
> the problem.....does anybody know a good ISP who definately DO support VPN
> ?????

I use VPN through Cisco and am on virgin.net.

On Fri, 22 Dec 2006 21:01:30 GMT, ToxOgrady wrote:
> 1. I have got a small home network connected to a combined adsl modem/router
> model Puretek PT-3812 ( http://www.chipweb.de/dsl/index.php?menu=2&id2=87 )

It's most likely that your VPN (IPsec?) doesn't work behind a NAT router.
You will either need to use NAT-traversal with your VPN software (but that
needs to be supported by your VPN client software and on the server side),
or alternatively you can try to configure VPN pass-through on your router
(but probably also need to configure your VPN client software).

BTW, if possible, it might be worth trying to connect your PC directly to
the Internet using a ADSL USB modem.


Christof

--
http://cmeerw.org sip:cmeerw at cmeerw.org
mailto:cmeerw at cmeerw.org xmpp:cmeerw at cmeerw.org

"ToxOgrady" <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote in message
news:KIXih.25811$(E-Mail Removed)...

> I've read a few things about certan ISPs filtering the signals relating to
> VPNs ( IPsec / PPTP ?? ) . So I rang Virgin.net up ( who are part of NTL
> really ) and the tech adviser didn't know, so he checked and called me
> back to tell me straight ....VIRGIN DON'T SUPPORT VPN!!!

Even ISPs get confused about VPN.
They probably don't use VPN in their network or resell VPN network
connectivity to businesses.
I don't think they activly stop you using a VPN to connect to another
private network.

Its usually the firewalls that cause the trouble.
Try disabling yours and see what happens.

"ToxOgrady" <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote in message
news:KIXih.25811$(E-Mail Removed)...

> He assures me that
> if I definately got the VPN connected that everything should work just as
> if
> it was connected at work.

Are you sure about that?

When I used to run VPN, doing anything with big files took forever.

> It's most likely that your VPN (IPsec?) doesn't work behind a NAT router.
> You will either need to use NAT-traversal with your VPN software (but that
> needs to be supported by your VPN client software and on the server side),
> or alternatively you can try to configure VPN pass-through on your router
> (but probably also need to configure your VPN client software).
>
> BTW, if possible, it might be worth trying to connect your PC directly to
> the Internet using a ADSL USB modem.
>
>

Thanks so far..

I'm not a network expert so thats why I gave details of my router &
firmware.

Another poster to this thread mention he had Virgin.net doing VPN but I have
no idea what 'Cisco' is ? I'm not able to tamper with this works computer
but I assume if its been set up by my company , the VPN part should be okay
either side. The only thing at error must be a) my router or b) my ISP.

I can definately get it to connect instantly and providing I switch of proxy
the laptop goes on the web straightforward enough.

One poster mentioned 'zone alarm' . Whats that ? this works laptop uses
Norton I think. I've had a scan through the router settings and can't spot
anything to do with VPN passthrough. Is there some alternative I should look
for,

Re the 'NAT' below is the page text from my router:



NAT Configuration
Disabled NAT NAPT Dynamic NAPT NAT


Session Name User's IP Action
Add Delete






# Session Name User's IP


Number of NAT Configurations 0

Session Name Configuration

Settings need to be saved to Flash and the system needs to be rebooted for
changes to take effect.

Available Sessions

# Session Name Interface


Number of Sessions 0

>
> Its usually the firewalls that cause the trouble.
> Try disabling yours and see what happens.
>
>

IT bloke from work reckons if I got it connected then I 'm through the
firewall . I can't disable anything on the company laptop( no admin
roights ) and can't spot any setting on the router about firewalls ( details
about router & firmware given in O.P. )

ToxOgrady brought next idea :
>>
>> Its usually the firewalls that cause the trouble.
>> Try disabling yours and see what happens.
>>
>>
>
> IT bloke from work reckons if I got it connected then I 'm through the
> firewall . I can't disable anything on the company laptop( no admin roights )
> and can't spot any setting on the router about firewalls ( details about
> router & firmware given in O.P. )

Have you tried placing your company laptop in the DMZ of your router?
(Assuming it has one)

"ToxOgrady" <(E-Mail Removed)> writes:

> So assuming my router is okay and Virgin.net definately are the route of the
> problem.....does anybody know a good ISP who definately DO support VPN ?????

Whether or not the ISP supports VPN should be irrelevant. What is
important is that the ISP does not actively block VPN.