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TICKET ARCHIVE -> Connecting to a VPN network

vandelay - Sep 12, 2006 - 8:31 am

I'm working on a web design project for a firm that wants me to access their webserver via PPTP VPN and an RDP application (Remote Desktop Connection). Obviously, they are Windows people.

Despite doing some research on these methods, I'm still not sure I understand what this even does.

What might be the best way to do this on a Mac? I've got a G5 Tower running OS 10.4.

Thank you!

Mark

atif.muhammad - Sep 13, 2006 - 4:04 am

Open "Internet Connect"

Click on "File" on the menu bar, then select "New VPN Connection".

A dialog box will popup. And since you will be connecting through PPTP, you select that option and click "Continue".

Type in the Administrator password.

Now, in the Internet Connect window, you will see a "VPN(PPTP)" section with the lock icon. Select that.

Type in your Server Address(your workplace should provide this), account name and password.

After that, click connect and fingers crossed, it should connect.

You can then quit Internet Connect. Upon quitting, you will be prompted to save the VPN configuration. Do that, and give it a nice name.

I've never used an RDP application so I won't be able to help you out with tha.t I'm hoping someone else from macosx.com will.

Take care.

vandelay - Sep 13, 2006 - 7:58 am

Thank you for that info. I was able to connect via VPN, and got the RDP app from Microsoft. I was able to connect after 45 minutes with the tech at the firm I'm working with. Unfortunately, the connection was incredibly slow and logged me out every 3 minutes! If there's another faster solution, it would be great to know.

Mark

atif.muhammad - Sep 13, 2006 - 10:27 am

Connection is incredibly slow = Mac's tend to have problems exploring directories located on Windows servers. This is even worse if you have a lot of files in those directories. Do other people at your workplace have the same problem?

Logout every 3 minutes = This is very weird. Try creating a bogey VPN connection from some cheapie Windows machine to your office and see if you have the same problem. After that, try it with another Mac. Does the problem repeat itself?

vandelay - Sep 14, 2006 - 5:35 am

We decided that it was going to be impossible to work in the method of the VPN. I'm just going to set up my own test server until the time it is ready to be sent over to their site.

Thank you!

Mark