VPN and Airport Extreme (802.11n)

I was suffering the same issue until ten minutes ago:
AEBS 7.2.1 (N), Cisco VPN Client (4.8.01.0300) on an XP box.. I could connect, but no network services would work. I did not try the default host workaround, and simply made the following two (previously recommended) changes:

1) Changed the addresses scheme on the AEBS to 192.168.1.X

2) Changed cisco vpn client transport settings: selected "modify" under the "connection entries" menu and I unchecked the box that enables transparent tunneling under the transport tab

After that everything was fine. Sorry to hear folks are still having troubles. Hope this helps. Thanks to everybody on this thread for posting their solutions. I'd be dead in the water without you.

J.

I've been suckered by the good looking Airport Extreme and was really dis-heartened by the VPN woes...

Here's what works for me, using this method is the only way I can login into the Nortel VPN client.

-Login to windows
-Disable you LAN connection
-Open VPN login click on "Connect"
-When the yellow arrow begins to spin re-connect your LAN
-It will take a couple of seconds to connect.

I was experiencing similar issues as described here, trying to use Nortel VPN. I was researching solutions here while on hold with technicians at Apple. Since it was a noted bug, I was hoping that version 7.3.1 might fix the issue. As soon as I upgraded to that version this morning, my issue was resolved...so it looks like they may have a permanent fix now. Good luck.

It's funny because I didn't start having issues until I upgraded the AEBS to 7.3.1. Downgraded to 7.2.1 and I'm able to connect no issue. I'm going to call apple a little later.

No luck. Apple says that I need to forward ports. They don't officially support the Contivity client.
This ***** because I need to use the airport disk to backup my system and that was the big deal with 7.3.1.

This *****.

Thanks for your post. I used to have to use the 'default host' work-around for VPN until Apple finally fixed the problem around a year ago. When I upgraded to 7.3.1 I was surprised the bug was back and that the 'default host' work-around didn't even work. Like you, I downgraded back to 7.2.1 and my problem was resolved.

Apple has had this problem off and on since the inception of the Airport Extreme. You'd think they would add this test to their quality control suite, wouldn't you? Apple, are you listening?!

I too solved my Nortel Contivity problem for my wife's Windowz company Dell computer. I have an early Airport Extreme N - with 3, 100MB switch ports. The Nortel Contivity client worked perfectly without any need for port mapping or any need to Enable default host under NAT (DMZ). She was assigned an address via DHCP just like everyone else in my home network.

This was when I used firmware version 7.2.1.
When I updated to 7.3.1 the Nortel Contivity client would NOT work no matter what else I did.

Open the Airport Utility, click on Base Station and drop down to Upload Firmware... and click on the Upload Version and select 7.2.1. This fixed my problem. I hope it works for you.
Apple needs to address this longstanding issue.

APPLE will you please fix this! Major corporations use the Nortel Client and it keeps them from being able to use what would normally be a wonderful piece of equipment. Can someone from Apple please post a verifiable solution/work around?

Oh Hi,

I'm just joining this thread, and have not fully digested it. So stupid question time, are you guys using the Extreme as your firewall device? That is, is it directly connected to you cable/DSL modem? If so, then I understand your problems. Also realize that any of the sub $200.00 router/firewall out there all have problems. In my my environment I want port forwarding, VPN access in and out, port blocking, etc. On any of the devices I have bought, they all say they have such features, but the router crashes when some seemingly random number of features are enabled. I ended up buying a Secure Computing SG300 as my firewall. My Extreme is set in Bridge mode and connected to one of the SG300 ethernet ports. The SG300 has 4 Enet ports, but they are only 100baseT. So everything else is connected to the Extreme 1000BaseT ports. All is working well, including VPN out and VPN in. I can screen share to my home Macs when traveling. Inside I can stream HD content on Enet or 802.11n


I know it is extra money, but my internet (router) never crashes anymore, and I can enable all the features that I want. I travel for work and my wife does not tolerate internet problems. Visit my web cam at 64.7.75.98:81 ! (it's boring, but technically neat, wireless through outside over 200 feet. Port 81 is forwarded to an internal address. The web cam is very cheap consumer grade, been working for over two years)

-Glen

Glad I found this thread - I'll have to try the downgrade.

I've lost quite a bit of productivity these last couple of days troubleshooting this. I did not suspect my router ... until now!

Looks like I'll go back to a solid Linksys, I grow tired of roulette with this Apple product.

This works!! downgrade to 7.2.1 and Nortel works great...

Thanks to everyone for the help... a big part of the reason i got this **** thing is because my VPN connection sucked (would stay alive for oh ,maybe 5 minutes, maybe 5 hours)... this has been a thorn for quite a few hours...

Same boat here. No worky with 7.3.1. Reverting to 7.2.1 fixed the Contivity connect issue. But I lose the Airport disk updates of 7.3.1.

I could not be less happy with this router.

I needed to downgrade to firmware version 7.2.1 to make the Nortel Contivity VPN Client work. There is something about version 7.3.1 that is preventing it from working. 7.2.1 works fine.

I don't know if 7.3.1 can be configured to make it work or whether this is a problem with the firmware.

I am running version 06_01.014 of the Nortel client.

having the same problem with using Cisco VPN and Airport extreme, it also does a funny thing in that when i connect the VPN client it dumps my normal airport connection, when i disconnect the VPN the connection comes back. even went to the nearby apple store, they hadn't a clue, they did give me a new unit, upgraded the firmware to 7.3.1, still no luck , just as before. This is getting pretty ridiculous.

re; my last post, tried downgrading to 7.2.1 no difference, still doesn't work, yet it worked like a charm in the apple store connected to their wifi access.