VPN from Guest Windows XP

C

Chris Moss

Junior Member
I have to use Checkpoint's SecureRemote VPN-1 client to access some services related to work. I used to be able to do this from OSX and from XP under Parallels, but lately the VPN-1 client fails to connect to the server. I have reinstalled what seems to be the latest version, set it up exactly as the Mac client is, but whilst the Mac client connects, the XP version doesn't. Is there a way to make the guest OS, which uses the Mac's internet connection seamlessly, route VPN traffic through the Mac's VPN connection?

Chris
 
Chris Moss said:
Is there a way to make the guest OS, which uses the Mac's internet connection seamlessly, route VPN traffic through the Mac's VPN connection?

Chris
Click to expand...

If you are using Parallels Desktop 5.0, then, providing that you are using Shared Networking mode for VM (it is default) Mac's vpn connection should work inside Windows without any actions.

For Parallels Desktop 4.0 the following steps should make the trick:

Please connect to VPN, run /Application/Utilities/Terminal and execute the command "scutil --dns" and identify which one of DNS servers is VPN.

Then, at the Windows-side, open LocalAreaConnection preferences -> TCP/IP v4 -> and make this dns-server be Primary DNS Server. Secondary should be 10.211.55.1 - Parallels Shared Networking DNS server.

Let me know the output of scutil --dns if you have troubles with identifying which DNS-server is the VPN's one (it is ok to send output via PrivateMessage if you are considering this information somehow private)
 
I am using Parallels 5, with shared networking, but the Windows browser won't connect to an address restricted to the VPN connection. Curiously, trying to do so opens the Windows VPN-1 client connection window, so the fact that the Mac is connected through VPN-1 isn't being recognised.

BTW, just in case it is relevant, I used Terminal to get the following information about DNS:

DNS configuration

resolver #1
domain : aliant
nameserver[0] : 8.8.8.8
nameserver[1] : 8.8.4.4
order : 200000

resolver #2
domain : drmoss.members.mac.com.
options : pdns
timeout : 5
order : 150000

resolver #3
domain : local
options : mdns
timeout : 2
order : 300000

resolver #4
domain : 254.169.in-addr.arpa
options : mdns
timeout : 2
order : 300200

resolver #5
domain : 8.e.f.ip6.arpa
options : mdns
timeout : 2
order : 300400

resolver #6
domain : 9.e.f.ip6.arpa
options : mdns
timeout : 2
order : 300600

resolver #7
domain : a.e.f.ip6.arpa
options : mdns
timeout : 2
order : 300800

resolver #8
domain : b.e.f.ip6.arpa
options : mdns
timeout : 2
order : 301000
MBP1:~ fred$
Click to expand...

The situation was just the same before trying out Google's new DNS! Thanks for helping!

Chris
 
Elric,
I'm not sure how, but after a couple of restarts the XP VM can now use the Mac VPN connection. Sadly, whilst it will connect to the part of the VPN that I can use from the Mac side, it still can't connect to that part of the VPN I'm trying to reach. Obviously a problem with 'them' and not 'me'!

Chris
 
Ok..

The trouble is likely in DNS.

For the first, make sure that you are using Shared Networking.

Second thing, is that build 9220 doesn't see some dns-servers of VPN. It is an issue of this build and it goes to be fixed in the nearest updated of Parallels Desktop 5.0.

Please connect to the VPN on Mac side and take a look into Mac OS "System Preferences" -> "Network". There should be an entry for the established VPN-connection and this VPN connection should have DNS server. This server should be manually entered to the Windows (as described in posting 2).

Let me know if you still have troubles. We'll create a support-ticket in this case and investigate the problem more closely.
 
Build 9220 is what I am running, so that might have been the difficulty, although for the moment it has started to work. If it helps, it started working after running the new connection wizard from Control Panel/Internet Options/Connections/Setup and simply telling it there was an 'always on' local connection.

I'm glad it's working as the flavour of VPN I'm running is Checkpoint's VPN-1 client (suitably hacked to make it work on Snow Leopard) and this doesn't show in the Mac System Preferences/Network as a VPN connection at all, so no DNS server is visible!

Chris
 
I am using Parallels 5 on Mac OS 10.6.2 with shared networking and have a Win XP sp3 VM. When I use the VPN from Mac, it works fine with the applications in the VM except I need to configure a "local DNS" in the XP VM (C:\WINDOWS\system32\drivers\etc\hosts, entry in this file overrides any external DNS, this hosts file works the same as the /etc/hosts in Unix). For example, I put "exchange.domain.com 10.10.1.2" in the hosts file, then the Outlook in the XP VM will connect to the Exchange server once the VPN connection (from the Mac side) is established. This also provides a faster response since no DNS dipping needed.

However, I have a slightly different issue. I do not want to use the VPN on the Mac side, since it blocks all the regular Internet access. I would like to use the VPN in the XP VM, and hope that this VPN connection inside the VM will not block the normal Internet access on the Mac. But the Mac firewall blocks it and I got the error code 721. The article http://support.microsoft.com/kb/888201 suggests that GRE and port 1723 be open. So how do I configure the Mac firewall to open GRE and port 1723?
 
Thank you so much, Kim, that works!

Choose the "Default Adaptor" under Bridged Networking, the VM gets its own IP address; and the VPN works in there.

Thanks.

Robin
 
hey robin, i'm using the same configuration as u r... osx 10.6.2 and parallels 5 with win xp... but can't run the checkpoint at all.... it does finish the installation and restarts but no yellow key is there.. and the secure client is no active...can u please tell me how and which installtion u used?? for the xp and osx SL... thanks in advance!

btw... it's weird, i also tried to install it on the xp operation using boot camp and the same problem again!!!

hope to manage working with secure client, i realy need it to work!!

all the best,
yonatan
 
Hey Robin...

I'm running the same conf. as u r... parallels 5 with win XP... but unfortunately the checkpoint secure client won't start at all.... not via parallels VM and not even via boot camp... how and which version of CP did u install???

i can't understand why it doesn't work...

thanks in advance,
Yonatan
 
YonatanR said:
btw... it's weird, i also tried to install it on the xp operation using boot camp and the same problem again!!!
Click to expand...
Since it doesn't work in bootcamp also, it is definitely not a parallels problem.

I'd suggest to check checkpoint's documentation and may be contact some checkpoint's forums.

If you'll manage to make it work under bootcamp, then it should in Parallels also
 
Hi all, I have been using the Window XP VPN server but as it is limited to only one vpn connection at a time we need to upgrade. If really needed we will get another modem with a built in VPN server but software would be simpler. Otherwise all things are good like speed I am getting in window xp vpn connection is enough to do my work.
 
williamsen786 said:
Hi all, I have been using the Window XP VPN server but as it is limited to only one vpn connection at a time we need to upgrade. If really needed we will get another modem with a built in VPN server but software would be simpler. Otherwise all things are good like speed I am getting in window xp vpn connection is enough to do my work.
Click to expand...

VPN on windows XP is good as i think so far, but some times i got problem while using it on my window 7 connection. I dont know why i got but my provider says you not configure vpn setup properly. I have a usa vpn ip.
 
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