VPN over PPPoE on Win2K with the Linksys BEFSR41

[socket41]

Ok, here's my issue.

Just got a BEFSR41.

Just got my new DSL connection installed, and it uses PPPoE (CoServ, a small company in North Texas is the provider).

They gave me a small PPPoE client called WinPoet. If I have the DSL modem connected directly to the PC, then connect with WinPoet, everything works fine. I can then log into my workplace VPN (it's NT, running PPTP). It's all working as we speak.

If I hook everything up through the BEFSR41, and trust the BEFSR41 to be the PPPoE client, my regular surfing goes well for all systems connected (WinPoet is disabled, of course).

I configured the Linksys to allow PPTP passthrough. I have the latest version of the firmware (1.39), and I set the MTU to 576, just for a starting point.

I can't for the life of me get my VPN connection to work through the router. It connects, but that's it.

No luck even getting a response from Linksys tech support yet, which sounds typical, from what I've heard. Any other suggestions people could give? I've tried the Win2k tweak files here on the Speedguide site as well, with no luck.

If I set this system to be the DMZ client, could that help? Any other suggestions people could make to help me solve this dilemna?

Thanks,
Todd Slavinsky
todd@socket41.net

[cyberskye]

Hey there,

You might want to consider placing the client in the DMZ. As I understand it, pptp uses a similar mechanism to ftp. It has control and tunneling (data) channels. I had to get SDSL to telework because comcast@home (cable ISP) uses NAT and that prevents pptp from working properly.

DMZ just means that all port are forwarded to that host, eliminating the translation that may be throwing you off. I could be wrong, but it should be fairly simple to try.

Otherwise, you could connect to your pptp server without the router. Then do a netstat and see which connections are 'established' to your server and forward those ports. I just checked mine and I am established with my vpn server and my pdc (not the same host). that could be the problem.

Have fun,

Skye