VPN with XP pro VM - URGENT

H

HalffS

Bit poster
Hi, and thanks for your time, i'll be quick.

I've installed Parallels on my client's IMac with an XP Pro session. Up to here everything's smooth.
I need to configure a VPN access from the windows session on parallels to a SBS 2003 server. Note that i've opted for a shared connection between the VM and IMac and haven't changed any of the default settings (DNS, etc.).
Internet works fine on the VM, but for some reason i cannot ping my VPN host. The VPN server works fine, I have it running with multiple windows clients.
So I decided to use the VPN connection from the IMac host, as for some reason it works on that side.
I can browse through the company server site from windows, si it seems that the VPN communicates through to the VM perfectly. Only, I cannot configure my XP Pro fresh install to connect to the domain (with ID, pass, etc.). It cannot find the domain name. Ok, I ran nslookup and ofcourse it's searching for the domain on a 10.x.x.x type address, which isn't what I want (well I guess not anyway).
My IMac runs on a 192.168.x.x base, and so does my company server (VPN server). As for the VM, the default DHCP address is 10.x.x.x type. I guess there's the problem.
How can I change that? Would it be better to use the VPN connection on the VM with window VPN client? If that's the case, what could prevent me from pinging my VPN host? Stange isn't it?

Thanks a ton, it's really urgent!
 
It is really strange if it is possible to ping the host from Mac-side and not from VM, there should not be difference.

About problems with dns.. there is an issue in the current Parallels Desktop with DNS and VPN. It can be workarounded: it is required to manually add the DNS-server for VPN-related sites to the Network Connection. Please try to go to the Control Panel -> Network Connections, right-click proper connection (most likely there is the only one 'Local Area Connection') and choose properties, then select TCP/IP -> Properties and select manual configuration for DNS ("Use the following DNS server addresses). Make your preffered DNS server be your corporate dns-server. As Alternate - enter "10.211.55.1".

If you don't know your corporate DNS-server, run the Mac-terminal (/Application/Utilities/Terminal) and enter the next command "sudo scutil --dns". This (assuming that VPN sites are accessible from Mac) should output list of DNS-servers.
 
Hi, and thank you for your answer!
By "Corporate DNS", do you mean i have to enter the VPN address, or the domain local ip when VPN connected?
Sorry, Its not very clear to me as to how DNS work.
 
HalffS said:
Hi, and thank you for your answer!
By "Corporate DNS", do you mean i have to enter the VPN address, or the domain local ip when VPN connected?
Sorry, Its not very clear to me as to how DNS work.
Click to expand...

DNS is the server that does translation form symbolic name (like www.apple.com) to ip-address. Usually its address is given together with IP and Netmask by DHCP-server.

If you need help, post me via forum private message the output of scutil --dsn and I'll reply with IP that should be written as dns-server
 
Thanks a lot.
The things is, i'll be able to test and make changes on tuesday afternoon GMT+1, and not at any other time.
So incase you're close to a internet connection on tuesday afternoon, if you could check your PM's, thanks so much if have the time, i understand how painful my questions and requests must be.
 
> i understand how painful my questions and requests must be.
no, they aren't

PS: make sure that you have enabled notifications about PMs in your profile, it will be easier to communicate without duplicating messages to forum
 
DNS timeout issues.

This workaround is great if your vpn is active all the time..
but if you turn your vpn off, your vm tries to use a dns that is not available, making every request time out - which makes any internet access painfully slow.

Why is parallels shared networking only using the default dns server in the osx dns chain? Surely it can use the domain name resolution configured in the host OS?

BTW.. is there a fix for this pending?.. its a bit annoying to have to use a separate vpn client in the vm to get it working correctly.
 
JulianN said:
This workaround is great if your vpn is active all the time..
but if you turn your vpn off, your vm tries to use a dns that is not available, making every request time out - which makes any internet access painfully slow.
Click to expand...
Strange.. I've not experimented much with that, but I expected that Windows will detect that server doesn't answer and will use primary 10.211.55.1..

JulianN said:
Why is parallels shared networking only using the default dns server in the osx dns chain? Surely it can use the domain name resolution configured in the host OS?
Click to expand...
there arises a lot of complications on attempt to use host-provided gethostbyname()..

JulianN said:
BTW.. is there a fix for this pending?.. its a bit annoying to have to use a separate vpn client in the vm to get it working correctly.
Click to expand...
Yes, actually there is an internal version with fix, let me know if you want to try to beta-test it.. I can't promise for sure, but may be I'll manage to send a try-version of this..
 
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I don't mean to be rude, but are we only a handfull of people trying to get this work? Shouldn't this be a priority issue to resolve?
I guess most people use the VPN connection from the VM, I guess I'll have to get this to work.

Thanks for your help, I'll get back to you once I have tested your solutions.
 
Elric said:
Strange.. I've not experimented much with that, but I expected that Windows will detect that server doesn't answer and will use primary 10.211.55.1..
Click to expand...

Unfortunately that isn't what happened the last time I set it up..
Last night I tried again on my wife's laptop, but interestingly I couldn't get the VM to recognise the DNS servers set in the Shared Newtworking Parallels Adapter at all. Just seemed to ignore the OS X DNS settings completely and use 10.211.55.1. Dont have her laptop with me now so I'm not sure what version of Parallels she has (I updated it about 3 days ago). VM is XP Home SP3.

Elric said:
there arises a lot of complications on attempt to use host-provided gethostbyname()..
Click to expand...
I'm sure.. there are other applications that have similar issues with DNS on OS X. Many of the os x command line tools do not use it either

Elric said:
Yes, actually there is an internal version with fix, let me know if you want to try to beta-test it.. I can't promise for sure, but may be I'll manage to send a try-version of this..
Click to expand...

I dont really have time to test it out for you.. but look forward to its release.. Running a separate vpn client in the vm is a sufficient workaround for me at the moment.

Thanks for your prompt reply.
 
JulianN said:
I couldn't get the VM to recognise the DNS servers set in the Shared Newtworking Parallels Adapter at all. Just seemed to ignore the OS X DNS settings completely and use 10.211.55.1.
Click to expand...
It's ok. Works by design.
No matter what is set up on Mac OS X, Virtual Machine in Shared Networking always use 10.211.55.1 as a DNS-server (it is an address of Parallels Shared Networking Daemon)
 
Elric said:
It's ok. Works by design.
No matter what is set up on Mac OS X, Virtual Machine in Shared Networking always use 10.211.55.1 as a DNS-server (it is an address of Parallels Shared Networking Daemon)
Click to expand...
Ok.. that explains that..

I had another fiddle with the windows connection DNS settings.. but I couldn't seem to get it to work quite the way I want with a search domain..

Setup:
Running Shimo on my OS X host to connect to a cisco firewall at work. Works from os x completely.
Running Windows XP VM. Modified the windows connection DNS settings to put in the DNS entries, the domain atmywork.com (also in the append to list).

I can successfully use nslookup to find addresses like http://workserver (which maps to http://workserver.atmywork.com). But IE doesn't seem to be able to find the server.

If I run the cisco vpnclient in windows, it works fine..

I probably missed something, so will try again when I have more time.
 
I just want to say thank you to all of you.
Your solution (changing to manual DNS in the VM) worked perfectly.
I am now connected to my domain.

See you.

Sam.
 
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