Connecting to my company's VPN on Mac

Posts: 21 · Vonage Forum Associate Joined: Jan 10, 2005 Posts: 21

Not sure if anyone can help on this.

I switched to my new Vonage Linksys RT31P2 router (from another Linksys BEFW11S?). Everything is fine *except* my Mac iBook cannot connect to my company's VPN (PPTP). The weird thing is that my WinXP PC sitting right next to it works just fine.

PPTP Passthroug is enabled.
Router firmware is 1.28.00, Feb 21 2005.

I can't for the life of me figure out how just switching routers (same brand even) could cause 1 computer to work on VPN & the other not. Switching back to the old router, the Mac can do the VPN just fine.

Posts: 21 · Vonage Forum Associate Joined: Jan 10, 2005 Posts: 21

Here's what my logs show...

Sat Apr 16 15:02:56 2005 : PPTP connecting to server ''xxx.xxx.xxx.xxx' (xxx.xxx.xxx.xxx)...
Sat Apr 16 15:02:56 2005 : PPTP connection established.
Sat Apr 16 15:02:56 2005 : Using interface ppp0
Sat Apr 16 15:02:56 2005 : Connect: ppp0 <--> socket[34:17]
Sat Apr 16 15:03:26 2005 : LCP: timeout sending Config-Requests
Sat Apr 16 15:03:26 2005 : Connection terminated.
Sat Apr 16 15:03:26 2005 : PPTP disconnecting...
Sat Apr 16 15:03:26 2005 : PPTP disconnected

Posts: 129

stephen007 wrote:

Not sure if anyone can help on this.

I switched to my new Vonage Linksys RT31P2 router (from another Linksys BEFW11S?). Everything is fine *except* my Mac iBook cannot connect to my company's VPN (PPTP). The weird thing is that my WinXP PC sitting right next to it works just fine.

PPTP Passthroug is enabled.
Router firmware is 1.28.00, Feb 21 2005.

I can't for the life of me figure out how just switching routers (same brand even) could cause 1 computer to work on VPN & the other not. Switching back to the old router, the Mac can do the VPN just fine.

1. Are you just using the RT31P2? Or are you using an Airport as well? Describe your configuration. How is Mac and PC connected to the network? Just through the one router? Can the Mac and PC see each other??
2. In System Preferences, is your firewall on?
3. Are you using Cisco VPN to access your VPN?

I connect to my company's VPN with Cisco VPN software, and I have an RT31P2 as well as an Airport. I'll try to help you.

Posts: 21 · Vonage Forum Associate Joined: Jan 10, 2005 Posts: 21

Disturbed wrote:

1. Are you just using the RT31P2? Or are you using an Airport as well? Describe your configuration. How is Mac and PC connected to the network? Just through the one router? Can the Mac and PC see each other??
2. In System Preferences, is your firewall on?
3. Are you using Cisco VPN to access your VPN?

Good questions. I actually am using just the RT31P2 w/ both computers connected via ethernet cabling. I do have a wireless router (obviously) for the iBook but I took it out of the equation for troubleshooting purposes. That's what makes it so strange that only the Mac doesn't connect. Switch to the original router and both connect.

I have tried it with both the Mac firewall on & off with no difference. And I have rebooted (not sure it would matter) everything between different configuration tests.

I'm not using any proprietary VPN software on my end. Just the stuff that comes with MacOSX & WinXP.

I posted here only because I think one of two things is going on.
1) There is no solution and it's just some weird bug in the router firmware, in which case I would think other people would have run into this or...
2) I screwed something up.

Stephen

Posts: 129 · Posted: Sun Apr 17, 2005 1:46 pm Post subject:

Just to be clear, please answer these:

1. Can you connect through to the VPN with your Mac with no routers in use at all? I just want to be sure that it is the ATA with the Mac that is the issue.

2. Can you connect to the VPN with your Mac with the Airport?

3. Windows XP and the ATA connect to the VPN with no issues. Any particular VPN software being used with XP??

Posts: 21 · Vonage Forum Associate Joined: Jan 10, 2005 Posts: 21

Disturbed wrote:

1. Can you connect through to the VPN with your Mac with no routers in use at all? I just want to be sure that it is the ATA with the Mac that is the issue.

2. Can you connect to the VPN with your Mac with the Airport?

3. Windows XP and the ATA connect to the VPN with no issues. Any particular VPN software being used with XP??

Yep, Mac connects just fine (and has for years) with the old Linksys wireless router or no router at all (don't use an actual Airport).

The only changes made are...
1) Replace old router w/ Vonage router in its place.
2) Change Mac & PC gateway & DNS server to the Vonage router's IP

I tried it again today. Switched back to old router... both connect to VPN. Switch back to Vonage router... only PC works.

[shrug] It's a pisser.

Well, I spent so much time troubleshooting this that I'm prepared to give up and just work around it. I use the VPN mainly on the PC with the exception of one daily file transfer on the Mac. The Mac is inherently easier for scripting a daily file transfer since they have Applescript & a complex command line, both of which I use to automate everything. I guess I'll just have to figure out how to do that on the PC and samba it over to the Mac (which works fine, btw).

Stephen

Posts: 129 · Posted: Sun Apr 17, 2005 7:26 pm Post subject:

Make sure all 3 VPN passthrough settings are set to ENABLED in the router settings.

Posts: 5 · New Forum Member Joined: May 04, 2005 Posts: 5

I've been having this same problem. All three passthrough options enabled. Mac VPN does not work. Windows VPN works fine (PPTP). Mac VPN works when connected directly to cable modem.

I love my Vonage service but this really ****.

Posts: 47 · Posted: Wed May 04, 2005 7:17 am Post subject: Mac OS X

What version of OS X are you using? Is it updated with all the current fixes/patches from apple (using software update)? Just wondering. IF not, try applying OS updates to see if that helps?!

Posts: 5 · New Forum Member Joined: May 04, 2005 Posts: 5

Version is OS X 10.4 Tiger