Koozali.org: home of the SME Server

Using VPN connection to SME through an SME gateway

Offline edform

  • *
  • 178
  • +0/-0
    • http://www.workgroupsolutions.co.uk
Using VPN connection to SME through an SME gateway
« on: February 14, 2005, 11:24:44 PM »
I've set up VPN access to several of my client's servers and they can access them every time from various Windows OS machines which either connect direct to the internet or share a connection via a small router/switch. When I try to access the same machines from my own desktop which looks out to the internet through and SME6.0.1 server and an SME Barricade router, I sometimes get on immediately and sometimes cannot get on at all - often for days at a time. When I'm succeding at getting onto one I often can't get onto one of the others. If I make a phone call to a colleague. he can get on immediately.

I have ports 80/tcp, 110/tcp, 25/tcp, 500/udp, 1723/tcp, 5631/udp, and 5632/tcp open for mail, web, VPN and PC-Anywhere access, and the fact that I sometimes get on and can then stay on all day indicates the problem isn't with ports.

My clinets use Windows Remote Destop Access to work at their office machine desktops when on the road and they have nothing but praise for the stability and speed - but I can't get on reliably; it's driving me mad. Thinking it might be ISP problems, I signed up for a faster, less contended ADSL account which came on line today but, if anything its worse.

Any ideas?

Ed Form

Offline jackl

  • ****
  • 136
  • +0/-0
Using VPN connection to SME through an SME gateway
« Reply #1 on: February 14, 2005, 11:42:27 PM »
Ed
Many people are having this problem connecting from behind sme server to another sme server. There many posts on it but I haven't seen any solutions yet.
We can connect to other vendors servers, but only on occasions will it work to another SME server.

Regards
Jack.
......

Offline edform

  • *
  • 178
  • +0/-0
    • http://www.workgroupsolutions.co.uk
Using VPN connection to SME through an SME gateway
« Reply #2 on: February 15, 2005, 12:14:46 AM »
Quote from: "jackl"
Ed
Many people are having this problem connecting from behind sme server to another sme server. There many posts on it but I haven't seen any solutions yet.
We can connect to other vendors servers, but only on occasions will it work to another SME server.

Tanks Jack, that confirms my suspicions. I think I'll have a go with the OPenVPN Howto at...

http://sme.swerts-knudsen.dk/index.html?frame=http%3A//sme.swerts-knudsen.dk/howtos/howto_30.htm

...to see if it is any better.

Ed Form

Offline edform

  • *
  • 178
  • +0/-0
    • http://www.workgroupsolutions.co.uk
Using VPN connection to SME through an SME gateway
« Reply #3 on: February 15, 2005, 12:18:50 AM »
Just a little add on to the information I gave originally - I just got onto one of my VPNs and I've noticed befoe that they are easier to hook late at night - perhaps this might be significant.

Ed Form

Offline eiceic

  • ****
  • 118
  • +0/-0
    • http://www.eicsoftware.com
VPN
« Reply #4 on: February 15, 2005, 01:10:59 AM »
I have the problem as well..

I'm behind a 172.1.0.x scheme on my SME box -- I can connect to other SME VPNs that are on 192.168.x.x schemes but not ones that are on 10.x.x.x

Not sure if this helps -- but I'd love to figure out why it happens.  

Chris Buechler

Offline edform

  • *
  • 178
  • +0/-0
    • http://www.workgroupsolutions.co.uk
Re: VPN
« Reply #5 on: February 15, 2005, 01:14:15 AM »
Quote from: "eiceic"
I have the problem as well..

I'm behind a 172.1.0.x scheme on my SME box -- I can connect to other SME VPNs that are on 192.168.x.x schemes but not ones that are on 10.x.x.x

That's also interesting; I have all of the servers in question in my control. It would be really easy to bring them all into the same DHCP scope and avoid common addresses! I'll try this and report back - it'll take a couple of days.

Ed Form