VPN Setup

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illicit

553 posts

Ultimate Geek

#55280 28-Dec-2009 13:39

How do I setup a VPN between my eeePC with Vodem and my desktop PC - XP Pro....?

Im wanting to access my Cashbook files while im at a job to be able to look up pricing and do mobile invoicing.

I've gone through the server/client setup in the create network connection etc...

But what do I put in for the IP address?

Ive forwarded TCP port 1723 on my Belkin F5D5730au Modem

CYaBro

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#285626 28-Dec-2009 14:55

You might be better doing a remote desktop connection to your XP Pro machine as trying to use something like Cashbook over a VPN could cause data corruption if the VPN disconnects for some reason.
It would also be a lot slower doing it by VPN.

Opinions are my own and not the views of my employer.

nate

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#285627 28-Dec-2009 14:55

The computer that is acting as the server, does it have Windows Firewall (or equivalent) turned on, and is that also got the VPN port open?

For IP address, I'd suggest you get a static IP at home, then setup a domain name to point to it, such as home.mycompany.co.nz, and enter this as your server address.

Alternatively, signup for Xero, and you won't need to go to all this fuss :)

Hope this helps.

cws82us

788 posts

Ultimate Geek

#285629 28-Dec-2009 15:05

use teamviewer

join Quic and get free sign up when you click my link https://account.quic.nz/refer/250676

illicit

553 posts

Ultimate Geek

#285651 28-Dec-2009 16:58

teamviewer and remote desktop would be slower would they not?

I turned off all firewalls while trying to set it up.

How would a VPN be slower?

Using my current DSL IP address from Slingshot (for lack of correct terminology) would be fine for testing though right?

raytaylor

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#285699 28-Dec-2009 20:15

With a VPN, you need to pull the large file across the connection before any processing can be done to it. I know most myob biz basics files are about 20-50mb but i dont know about cashbook.

Anyhow with a remote desktop, the processing is done on the remote computer, and a picture of the result is sent across the link. For older programs that dont use any modern database system like sql and they talk to the file directly, it can be a time consuming process working over a vpn. Remote desktop is much better suited for this.

Ray Taylor

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freitasm

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Geekzone

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#285700 28-Dec-2009 20:18

You can use Remote Desktop as suggested - but you will need to configure a port forward on your router. I use Logmein in some of my PCs at home. It requires no port configuration. You can remote access/control your PC without having to configure shares, firewall, etc.

illicit

553 posts

Ultimate Geek

#285713 28-Dec-2009 20:53

Ive used team viewer plenty. I used Hamatchi after I gave up on VPN and compared Hamatchi and Teamviewer.

Result...

1.2MB of Data needed to open cashbook, view products list and create an invoice.
450KB to do the same via Teamviewer in Greyscale

Ill assume from the results that Cashbook must refer to the main database file everytime I want to do something.

Still, would love to know what Im doing wrong via VPN.....?

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freitasm

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#285714 28-Dec-2009 20:55

Hamachi is a VPN and you will have FILE access. I suggested Logmein, which is the remote access and you will have remote control of the PC - very different things. You should try again.

raytaylor

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#285736 28-Dec-2009 22:43

Basically the VPN transfers your whole company file across the -slow- and -expensive- link to your client computer, just to process a quick and simple query.
The remote desktop (RDP) or teamviewer / logmein will run the program on the remote computer, and allow you to control it. It only sends keystrokes and mouse movements back to your office computer, and that inturn just sends back small images. It also can cache commonly used images such as a picture of your start menu or desktop to save on bandwidth. A more common system of this is called a Terminal Server - I administer about 200 workstations that log into servers (in a similar way to yours) to access a company database application. It uses very little bandwidth because of the screen image caching and database files themselves do not need to be sent to remote clients - Just pictures of the program.

Teamviewer as you have found will work very well. I use it to administer remote workstations for some of my smaller business customers.

You are not doing anything wrong with a VPN, its just slow and expensive and the teamviewer gives you the same end result, with less bandwidth used and its faster.

Your next issue that you may encounter will be printing.
You can easily print with the program running locally on your laptop and accessing the file via the vpn. The local program will generate the print and send it to an attached printer just like any other program on your laptop.
With teamviewer, the program is running on the remote computer / server and so it doesnt see your local printer as attached to the pc. To get around this, you will need to install a program called PDF Creator and email printouts to your local pc from the server computer, or investigate something called microsoft remote desktop which works similar to teamviewer but when you connect to a server computer, your local printers are added and print jobs are sent virtually through the remote desktop connection. Microsoft remote desktop is built into XP Pro and upper versions of vista and win7. The client program is built into xp home/pro/all vista and all 7.

Ray Taylor

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nate

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#285747 29-Dec-2009 00:38

illicit: Still, would love to know what Im doing wrong via VPN.....?

I think the common agreement here is something like TeamViewer or LogMeIn is the best solution for what you are trying to achieve.

Regarding your VPN issues, I would say something isn't port forwarded correctly, or you are putting in your home IP address, and since it's dynamic, it's changed in the meantime.

kiwiscoota

237 posts

Master Geek

#285762 29-Dec-2009 02:41

I'd agree your VPN issue is most likely to be related to the IP address or perhaps a firewall issue, VPN hosts really need a fixed IP address to simplify day to day usage / management.

For client support/access I use a mix of VPN, Microsoft Remote Desktop and Teamviewer depending on the client.

I've found I can achieve the most consistently reliable connections both within NZ and NZ/Australia using Teamviewer & Remote Desktop.

While my VPN connection does work reasonable well most of the time, I've often experienced brief dropouts which have caused corrupt files etc.

I often connect to a client in country Victoria and they use a Satellite/Dial-up hybrid connection which has good download but very poor upload and despite that it still is quite usable with Teamviewer (it will not work using a VPN).

illicit

553 posts

Ultimate Geek

#285772 29-Dec-2009 08:36

If the IP hasn't changed in between the 2mins I checked it and the time of testing, what else could be wrong?

Is there any other port i need to foward?

All firewalls/antivirus etc were off during testing.

Yes I have PDF creator, I figured that would be the easiest way for now to print.

kiwiscoota

237 posts

Master Geek

#285773 29-Dec-2009 08:46

Maybe a dumb response, but is the router suitable for VPN ?

The other thing that springs to mind is that I make sure that ports TCP 1723, UDP 500, 10701 are open.

illicit

553 posts

Ultimate Geek

#286008 30-Dec-2009 08:59

Belkin F5D5730au Modem - gigabit switch - PC

Ive fowarded port 1723 - ill do the others aswell

CYaBro

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#286019 30-Dec-2009 09:55

Rather than doing the port forwarding yourself by using port 1723 does the modem have a list of applications that you can just choose and it does all the port forwarding for you?
If it does look for VPN or PPTP and select that.
As pointed out in an earlier post PPTP VPN does require more than just port 1723 to be forwarded, the router also needs to support VPN passthrough.

Opinions are my own and not the views of my employer.