Topic: PPTP, VPN, and Macs

[Jeff Fentum]

Is anyone out there connecting to an inside network via an SME server connected to the internet via VPN/PPTP from a Macintosh?

In other words, I want to be able to access my company's internal network from my home-based Mac via a broadband internet connection. Why? I want to be able to make VNC connections, use printers, and make good a excuse to do some of my work at home (away from the usual work-based, non-productive annoyances).

I'm currently using the SME v.5.1.2 in gateway/server config with an ADSL connection (this will soon be upgraded to a T1). At this point I'm only vaguely familiar with VPN and PTPP. I've tried using a freebie program called PiePants on my home-based Mac (OS 10.1.5) for making a VPN connection to the SME hosted network. It shows that it makes a connection, but I can't seem to access anything on the network that I'm connecting to.

I would be grateful if someone could please point me in the right direction (i.e. websites for novices, articles, etc.), let me know if this is even doable using my current setup, or whatever I might need to do to GET IT TO WORK. I'm sure it's either very easy and inexpensive, or very difficult and expensive...

[Micheal Kelly]

While not "officially" supported, I've connected from a Titanium Powerbook to
an SME server via PPTP, using the built-in PPTP client in OS X 10.2.  (yes,
that's right - Apple includes a PPTP client in Jaguar, but it's not the
easiest thing to find).

Get a copy of 10.2 (you won't regret it - many improvements in system speed
and stability).  Then, find the Internet Connect application in the Apps
folder.  Open it, go to the file menu, and choose New VPN connection.

Enter the IP address of the SME server, your username and password, and
voila...