Router Configuration Problem For Running Nortel VPN Client (1 Viewer)

[Rob Landolfi]

I have a both a desktop and notebook PC in my home setup, and they're joined by a Netgear wireless router (WGR 614). My network is working as intended with the exception of logging into the Nortel Contivity Extranet Client that allows me to VPN into my work computer. Both of my computers are running XP home, and I have version 4.15 of the Nortel program.

The Nortel client works fine on my laptop for either a wireless or ethernet connection, but won't connect on my desktop PC. It will, however, work on my desktop if I remove the router and go straight from the modem to the desktop. I've tried Port Forwarding on ports 500 and 1723 at the suggestion of Netgear Tech Support, and that actually worked for a little while a few weeks ago. Now, I can't "get back in" from my desktop and I'm not sure why.

Talking again with Netgear Tech Support, they told me that it may be that the router will only support one tunnel connection from a single PC. I'm not trying to log in from both computers at the same time, just trying to be able to use the Nortel client from either of my machines. I can ping the Nortel IP address successfully from my desktop, just not connect.

What Netgear Tech Support said seems to make sense as I've tried all the different tweaks and settings I can think of. If this is a limitation of this router, I can live with it as I'm more than satisfied with its performance in all other areas. If the router should allow me to do this, I figured someone here might have some insight. There is a newer version of the Nortel Client available, and I'll try grabbing it from work next week and see if that makes a difference. Thanks for any input.

 

[Jeff R.]

Rob,

You say you set up port forwarding in the router but if the router is also doing DHCP, then the desktop and laptop IP addresses will be changing occasionally meaning your router will be forwarding to the wrong IP. Try statically assigning IP addresses to the two computers or use the Address Reservation feature in the router under LAN IP setup. This way, the port forwarding will always be going to the correct computer. Just a thought.

 

[Rob Landolfi]

Jeff,

I gave the Address Reservation feature a try, but had no luck. For now, I'll go with the Netgear line that this is the way it is as I don't want to tie up too much more time in it.

I will give updating the Nortel program a shot and see if that handles things in a different way, but I think my router and network are properly set up for everything.

Thanks for the suggestion.