Need help with VPN !

[Trent©]

I'm trying to set up a DSL VPN...to a computer just down the street
from me. Good news...I can just WALK the data down to him! lol

Some specs...

Both machines running XP pro...host machine is running sp2. MSFT
firewall is disabled.

Client machine is running pro...sp1.

Both machines running DI-604 router.

My goal is to be able to connect to his machine whenever I want and
run Remote Desktop.

I can do this now...with no problems...as long as he sends me an email
first...and I respond to his request. He then gives me permission to
take over control...and all is well. I've not been able to do it with
a VPN network.

Questions...

1. When setting up on the client side, what IP address do I use? Do
I use the 'IP address' from the menu seen in the router?...basically a
68.xxx.xxx.xxx...same as gotten from www.whatismyip.com Where/when
does the 192.xxx.xxx.xxx number come into play?...or does it?

2. Do I need to configure the host router? Any good sites you guys
can point a brain-dead guy to? lol

I've got another machine on my LAN that I'm gonna try to connect to.
Any problems I should look out for?

TIA, guys.


Have a nice one...

Trent

Budweiser: Helping ugly people have sex since 1876!

 

[Lanwench [MVP - Exchange]]

I'm trying to set up a DSL VPN...to a computer just down the street
from me. Good news...I can just WALK the data down to him! lol

Some specs...

Both machines running XP pro...host machine is running sp2. MSFT
firewall is disabled.

Client machine is running pro...sp1.

Both machines running DI-604 router.

My goal is to be able to connect to his machine whenever I want and
run Remote Desktop.

I can do this now...with no problems...as long as he sends me an email
first...and I respond to his request. He then gives me permission to
take over control...and all is well. I've not been able to do it with
a VPN network.

That isn't remote desktop - it's remote assistance. Which one do you want?
And do you need VPN? These are different things entirely.

Questions...

1. When setting up on the client side, what IP address do I use? Do
I use the 'IP address' from the menu seen in the router?...basically a
68.xxx.xxx.xxx...same as gotten from www.whatismyip.com

If you have successfully created a VPN tunnel, you use his private IP
address, not the public one.

Where/when
does the 192.xxx.xxx.xxx number come into play?...or does it?


2. Do I need to configure the host router? Any good sites you guys
can point a brain-dead guy to? lol

For which - VPN or Remote Desktop?

I've got another machine on my LAN that I'm gonna try to connect to.
Any problems I should look out for?

Connect to via what - remote desktop? If it's XP Pro, just enable remote
desktop in control panel | system and add yourself to the list of users
allowed to connect. Then just connect using your RD client and point it at
the IP or hostname of the computer.

 

[Trent©]

That isn't remote desktop - it's remote assistance. Which one do you want?

I'm tryin' to learn here...so correct me if I'm wrong.

He sends me the request...I answer. That portion is remote
assistance...correct?

I then take over control of his machine...which goes to him as a
pop-up that he has to approve. That's remote desktop...correct?

That part we have no problem with...as long as it starts out as a
request from him as an email.

And do you need VPN? These are different things entirely.

What I want to be able to accomplish...with him and anyone on DSL
where I have permissions...

Connect to their computer...perform maintenance on files (delete,
defrag, copy from my computer, etc.), router access, etc. Then I want
to be able to reboot their machine when necessary (because of an
install, etc.) and then be able to reconnect after the reboot. I can
do all of that now...but only after his email and interactive
permissions on his end. I want to be able to do all that without his
interaction.

Is any of that VPN?

If you have successfully created a VPN tunnel, you use his private IP
address, not the public one.

Before the router is public? After the router is private? Or
reversed? As you can see, I've got a lot to learn.

For which - VPN or Remote Desktop?

What's the difference? What can you do with one that you can't do
with the other?

Connect to via what - remote desktop? If it's XP Pro, just enable remote
desktop in control panel | system and add yourself to the list of users
allowed to connect. Then just connect using your RD client and point it at
the IP or hostname of the computer.

I'm gonna try that tonight...again. I'm gettin' TCP errors.

Thanks for the help.


Have a nice one...

Trent

Budweiser: Helping ugly people have sex since 1876!

 

[Leythos]

What I want to be able to accomplish...with him and anyone on DSL
where I have permissions...

Connect to their computer...perform maintenance on files (delete,
defrag, copy from my computer, etc.), router access, etc. Then I want
to be able to reboot their machine when necessary (because of an
install, etc.) and then be able to reconnect after the reboot. I can
do all of that now...but only after his email and interactive
permissions on his end. I want to be able to do all that without his
interaction.

For the ones directly connected to the internet, it's simple, for those
behind a router you need to forward a port - but, in either case, you
should be using VNC 4 or TightVNC.

VNC will provide a window into their PC just like PCAnywhere (or many
others) would and the user can start/stop it and password protect the
connection. The ICON in the lower right will change color as a remote
user connects, so the user can tell if someone is connected. Once the
remote session ends, they can stop the VNC service.

This type of action will let you see exactly what they are doing, and
it's the same as being at their desk. VNC and TightVNC are free.

 

[Lanwench [MVP - Exchange]]

I'm tryin' to learn here...so correct me if I'm wrong.

He sends me the request...I answer. That portion is remote
assistance...correct?

I then take over control of his machine...which goes to him as a
pop-up that he has to approve. That's remote desktop...correct?

It's still Remote Assistance, actually.

That part we have no problem with...as long as it starts out as a
request from him as an email.


What I want to be able to accomplish...with him and anyone on DSL
where I have permissions...

Connect to their computer...perform maintenance on files (delete,
defrag, copy from my computer, etc.), router access, etc. Then I want
to be able to reboot their machine when necessary (because of an
install, etc.) and then be able to reconnect after the reboot. I can
do all of that now...but only after his email and interactive
permissions on his end. I want to be able to do all that without his
interaction.

Is any of that VPN?

VPN is virtual private networking, and can be how you get to his network.
Remote Desktop can be what you do when you get there.

Before the router is public? After the router is private? Or
reversed? As you can see, I've got a lot to learn.
Outside/internet=public
Inside/LAN=private

What's the difference? What can you do with one that you can't do
with the other?

VPN (virtual private networking) is just the network connection. Meaning,
your PC on 192.168.0.10 can communicate with his PC on 10.0.0.35 (can ping
it, map drives to shares, etc), via a secure encrypted tunnel over the
Internet.
If you use VPN, you can then just use your remote desktop client to connect
to 10.0.0.35 if he's enabled remote desktop & granted you access. Or you
could use one of the VNC variants (RealVNC, UltraVNC, etc) if you want him
to be able to see what you're doing.

You don't actually have to use VPN for Remote Desktop if you don't want the
extra bother, although it does add more security. You can have your friends
open up port 3389 in their firewall/routers and connect directly over the
Internet using their public IP address. You'll need to know what that is
(www.dyndns.org might help). If you want touse VPN, your friend needs to
open up the requisite ports in his firewall/router.

I'm gonna try that tonight...again. I'm gettin' TCP errors.

What kind?

 

[Trent©]

For the ones directly connected to the internet, it's simple, for those
behind a router you need to forward a port - but, in either case, you
should be using VNC 4 or TightVNC.

VNC will provide a window into their PC just like PCAnywhere (or many
others) would and the user can start/stop it and password protect the
connection. The ICON in the lower right will change color as a remote
user connects, so the user can tell if someone is connected. Once the
remote session ends, they can stop the VNC service.

This type of action will let you see exactly what they are doing, and
it's the same as being at their desk. VNC and TightVNC are free.

--

Thanks...appreciate it.


Have a nice one...

Trent

Budweiser: Helping ugly people have sex since 1876!

 

[Trent©]

What kind?

Thanks for all the help. Each day, its startin' to make more sense.

I don't remember the error message. I'll make a note of it tonight
and get back to ya. I think it said something about protocol
incompatibility.

Thanks again.


Have a nice one...

Trent

Budweiser: Helping ugly people have sex since 1876!