Connectivity help

RogersDA

So - shouting-out to all the networking gurus that might be here.

I am trying to resolve a connectivity issue between my office-issued laptop and my office. I work from home, and use a Dell laptop to connect to the office via a VPN. Once connected to that I then connect to a virtual desktop where my applications are stored.

The problem is that the connection to the VPN drops randomly. It's not just me - many other people that work at home also experience this. I have worked with our technical support people to no avail. They say that their configuration looks for a minimum speed and, if this is not sensed, it disconnect you (purportedly to stop hackers - though I have no idea if that is true).

I have read that changing the MTU from 1500 to something smaller may help as the block size is smaller thus each block needs less time to send (reducing lag). I can change the MTU setting on my router with no problem. Also, on my own Mac, I can see the MTU setting there (System Preferences - Network - Ethernet - Advanced - Ethernet). I am not sure where the MTU settings would be on the WinXP-based Dell.

My initial question is do I need to change the MTU settings on the computers as well as on the router, only change the computer's settings, or only change the router's setting?

Richard

I think you need to change both the router and computer, and you may need to change all the computers on your LAN as well. For XP, it's a registry setting: http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;en-us;283165 Good luck.

Edit: You might also find this link helpful.

RogersDA

Richard wrote: »

I think you need to change both the router and computer, and you may need to change all the computers on your LAN as well. For XP, it's a registry setting: http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;en-us;283165 Good luck.

Edit: You might also find this link helpful.

Thanks Richard!

chrisjohnson

Familiar problem. After ten years as a consultant and lots of invitations to connect by VPN, I have basically given up on it. The link fails just when you can least afford it - approaching a deadline, in a strange hotel the night before a client meeting, etc.

So now I use webmail and download any files in advance to my laptop where I can run my applications locally. Now I am not dependent on the VPN link working when I need it.

In your case, with one company to connect to from one location, it is the IT people managing your host system who need a kick up the backside. This is not to say that all problems are fixable even by them; they are generally reliant on software from a company with insecure products who nervously over-compensate by beefing up security. Even so, their position that low-speed connections are not supported is BS.

Some corporates are really rigid about VPN. I long ago lost count of the number of corporate execs who were out of touch with home base for days or spending hours in their hotel room trying to get a connection over VPN. Their companies seem to have completely lost sight of the fact that VPN is about connectivity not security, and that 99.9% of corporate work does not need to be secured at all. One company I work with has recognized this and run an open VPN system and a separate protocol for confidential work, instead of labelling everything confidential like most companies do.

I see lots of companies now switching away from VPN to cloud type solutions like Google +.

To answer your specific question: I would invest zero effort to mess with my router settings and pc. I would definitely NOT replace my kit. I would start by kicking the IT support department somewhere truly painful, while seeing what I could get done without VPN.

Richard

goldenballs wrote: »

To answer your specific question: I would invest zero effort to mess with my router settings and pc. I would definitely NOT replace my kit. I would start by kicking the IT support department somewhere truly painful, while seeing what I could get done without VPN.

With all due respect, I suspect that the quickest path to getting what David needs is to tweak his machines. Having worked many years in corporate IT, I think I can say with some assurance that unless you are a C-level executive in the company, kicking will not help.

RogersDA

Unfortunately my Office's support department, while well-intentioned, does not work well with others on issues like this. They are not too helpful for those problems that are intermittent.

My wife's technical support department is horrible. The Navy Marine Corps Intranet (NMCI) is one of the most ineffective uses of taxpayer dollars, and the support there is just outrageously inept.

I can change settings on my own computers and routers, and my office's support could log-on to my work laptop to configure the MTU there (as long as I get someone on the phone that knows what I am talking about). To get someone from NMCI to adjust my wife's laptop would take an act of God (probably a few acts).

So, I may do the tweaks, see if my office can do my computer, and hope that it doesn't cause my wife to have connectivity issues.

jamesl

RogersDA wrote: »

So - shouting-out to all the networking gurus that might be here.

I am trying to resolve a connectivity issue between my office-issued laptop and my office......QUOTE]

I have worked from home for 6 years or so now, and use a VPN program my company created to do so. Generally works pretty well, but there are sometimes hiccups.

One thing I have seen with VPN is issues if you are working on a wireless router. Specifically, issues with the routing table changing and causing the VPN channel to drop. Are you working wirelessly? If so, do you have the capability to work off of a hard line to see if the problem is resolved?

James

RogersDA

Thanks for the input.

All the computers are wired into the router. So, that's not an issue.

jamesl

RogersDA wrote: »

Thanks for the input.

All the computers are wired into the router. So, that's not an issue.

Ok, next thing. Your VPN client should keep logs, and it should log messages when it disconnects. Can you find the logs and access them?

James