Mac Mini Server VPN-Window 7 client

Heh Michael

I got this working using the settings in the screenshots below. I know I had a heck of a time trying to make it work but it does using these for me. Sometimes on the first connection it rejects the credentials, but on the second time it connects - no idea why. Hope this helps:

Oh of course you have to put the IP or external server name in the top box on the general tab. I removed it for security reasons

I think this is the exact same setup that I have, but no luck...

I am reading that you need to make a registry change in order for it to connect behind NAT?

Did you run into this?

http://support.microsoft.com/kb/926179

Yeah I did. Sorry, I did this about a year ago and didn't recall that until you mentioned it. However, for Windows 7 I believe the location in the registry is:

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\services\PolicyAgent

The rest looks the same and I set my value to 2.

Hope that helps.

This doesn't really help with a system where I have many windows computers and I don't want to change the registry on a dozen computers... Can pptp work without any registry changes?

I'm not sure to be honest. I do believe that IPSec is more secure than pptp, and while it might be a pain to run round making these changes to a dozen machines, it might be worthwhile in the long run. It only needs doing once. If there were hundreds of machines then a different solution might be necessary including perhaps different hardware. I'm no expert in these matters but perhaps a batch file could be made to make the registry change to make it slightly easier?

Did you get it working by making the registry change though? Good luck with it and while you don't have the complete solution you're looking for, hope this has helped get the connection working at least.

Yes, l2pt seems to work with the registry change. I'll keep looking for a more eloquent solution though. This is for a home networking situation, and I'd like to let family log into the network without registry changes.

But thanks for the advice

HI

I was having similar issues on mac mini vpn server. your post worked perfectly for people in usa. i have some canadian people who need to connect and the exact same solution does not work. have you heard of this issue?

thanks

Jeff

I have not heard of that, but I don't see how it would be different. If they have the VPN connection set up as above with all your credentials in place, and they've made the registry change (the change needed is in a different place in Vista, and XP I imagine), then the next place I would look is if their connection/firewall allows VPN traffic - most do nowadays but it's worth checking. If it's laptops, have them go to a Starbucks or something. What's the error they get? Server can't be reached or authentication fails? That's a lead to follow too.

I'd just like to add that I live in Canada, and the l2pt VPN works fine for me, if using a windows then obviously you have to make sure you did the correct registry change... This is where my confusion comes in. I'd like to us pptp instead, but I can't get that to work on Mac, pc, iOS etc.

Snakedog

The issue I have is windows machines in Canada connecting to a Mac VPN server in the USA. Have you done this?

I have several windows machines connecting to VPN from within USA.

Want to try? :)

Jeff

Ha. Yea that sounds like a good idea...

It really shouldn't make a difference what country you are in. Our Internet does in fact connect to USA's. even though the lines may be frozen in our igloos... ;)

Try:

1, to use a Mac, or iphone etc. if you aren't sure the registry change was done properly, or

2, As apple_db said, try asking them to try a different Internet connection like a Starbucks.