Q: Cant use VPN... Then what to do?

What error message are you getting when you try to connect?

I assume you are trying to connect from outside your network? Do you use a domain name or the external ip-adress of your server? Are you sure you have opened the right ports in your router?

If you keep consol.app open while you are trying to connect, it should give you some information about what is going wrong.

OK, what this reads, is that your connection works OK (9th line from the bottom), but you are not authenticated because of missing MPPE keys. (7th line from the bottom). Next step is to check your vpnd.log and see if there is a 'DSAuth: failed te retrieve MPPE ecnryption keys....' message for the user who is trying to connect.

If so, go look http://support.apple.com/kb/HT4748 for a solution. You can find the short name for the vpn system user by going into Workgroup Manager->View->Show System Records.

You're not alone: https://discussions.apple.com/thread/3233432?start=15&tstart=0

This worked for me. I also had to turn Encryption to Auto on my iPhone, rather than None.

Thanks,

Joseph Elwell.

Having the same error message but different console log,

I

- setup by DNS and VPN with server.app (both services have green lights to indicate they are ready)

- imported my VPN settings to my client machine

- try to connect and receiving error message "L2TP VPN server did not respond. Try to connect again. If the problem persists, check the settings and contact the administrator"

Any help would be greatly appreciated

6/10/14 3:56:48.974 PM configd[17]: SCNC: start, triggered by (741) com.apple.prefe, type L2TP, status 0, trafficClass 0

6/10/14 3:56:48.981 PM pppd[929]: publish_entry SCDSet() failed: Success!

6/10/14 3:56:48.981 PM pppd[929]: publish_entry SCDSet() failed: Success!

6/10/14 3:56:48.982 PM pppd[929]: pppd 2.4.2 (Apple version 727.90.1) started by cmiller, uid 502

6/10/14 3:56:52.386 PM pppd[929]: L2TP connecting to server 'office.besentient.com' (10.0.1.100)...

6/10/14 3:56:52.390 PM pppd[929]: IPSec connection started

6/10/14 3:56:52.407 PM racoon[930]: accepted connection on vpn control socket.

6/10/14 3:56:52.407 PM racoon[930]: Connecting.

6/10/14 3:56:52.407 PM racoon[930]: IPSec Phase 1 started (Initiated by me).

6/10/14 3:56:52.408 PM racoon[930]: IKE Packet: transmit success. (Initiator, Main-Mode message 1).

6/10/14 3:56:52.408 PM racoon[930]: >>>>> phase change status = Phase 1 started by us

6/10/14 3:56:52.413 PM racoon[930]: >>>>> phase change status = Phase 1 started by peer

6/10/14 3:56:52.413 PM racoon[930]: IKE Packet: receive success. (Initiator, Main-Mode message 2).

6/10/14 3:56:52.417 PM racoon[930]: IKE Packet: transmit success. (Initiator, Main-Mode message 3).

6/10/14 3:56:52.424 PM racoon[930]: IKE Packet: receive success. (Initiator, Main-Mode message 4).

6/10/14 3:56:52.440 PM racoon[930]: IKE Packet: transmit success. (Initiator, Main-Mode message 5).

6/10/14 3:56:55.677 PM racoon[930]: IKE Packet: transmit success. (Phase 1 Retransmit).

6/10/14 3:56:55.681 PM racoon[930]: !!! skipped retransmitting frags: frag_flags 0, r->sendbuf->l 108, max 1280

6/10/14 3:56:55.681 PM racoon[930]: Received retransmitted packet from 10.0.1.100[500].

6/10/14 3:56:55.681 PM racoon[930]: the packet is retransmitted by 10.0.1.100[500].

6/10/14 3:56:58.837 PM racoon[930]: IKE Packet: transmit success. (Phase 1 Retransmit).

6/10/14 3:56:58.859 PM racoon[930]: !!! skipped retransmitting frags: frag_flags 0, r->sendbuf->l 108, max 1280

6/10/14 3:56:58.859 PM racoon[930]: Received retransmitted packet from 10.0.1.100[500].

6/10/14 3:56:58.859 PM racoon[930]: the packet is retransmitted by 10.0.1.100[500].

6/10/14 3:57:01.906 PM racoon[930]: IKE Packet: transmit success. (Phase 1 Retransmit).

6/10/14 3:57:02.153 PM racoon[930]: !!! skipped retransmitting frags: frag_flags 0, r->sendbuf->l 108, max 1280

6/10/14 3:57:02.153 PM racoon[930]: Received retransmitted packet from 10.0.1.100[500].

6/10/14 3:57:02.153 PM racoon[930]: the packet is retransmitted by 10.0.1.100[500].

6/10/14 3:57:13.906 PM racoon[930]: IKE Packet: transmit success. (Phase 1 Retransmit).

6/10/14 3:57:15.165 PM racoon[930]: !!! skipped retransmitting frags: frag_flags 0, r->sendbuf->l 108, max 1280

6/10/14 3:57:15.165 PM racoon[930]: Received retransmitted packet from 10.0.1.100[500].

6/10/14 3:57:15.165 PM racoon[930]: the packet is retransmitted by 10.0.1.100[500].

6/10/14 3:57:22.412 PM pppd[929]: IPSec connection failed

6/10/14 3:57:22.412 PM racoon[930]: IPSec disconnecting from server 10.0.1.100

6/10/14 3:57:22.413 PM racoon[930]: glob found no matches for path "/var/run/racoon/*.conf"

Good-heart  , would you please take a look at my console log in the above post ?

I have been stuck for two days and not sure where my problem lies

Try removing special characters from your shared secret: Native iOS L2TP VPN not working on Lion Server

I was having similar issues, and it's fixed now! No need to mess with racoon!

NIK