Database Users

GPRS and Static IP with VPN

HI guys,
Does anyone know how to get a static IP address when using the GPRS connection to the internet. The reason being is because our corporate firewall has to recognise the device through it's IP. Is there any other possible methods for recognising the user?
Also does a VPN work well over GPRS and is there any extra configuration involved on the VPN server
Cheers
Any answers would be great.

Unfortunately there is no simple answer to your question. AFAIK you cant get a fixed ip on gprs, but if your using the right firewall and the right vpn host you dont need to.
I use and supply windows sbs 2003 servers and vpn into them regularly. I have also used citrix to achieve similar results. Might be a bit difficult to persuade your firms it dept to set up something like that for 1 person though.
PM me if youd like any advice.

BillyB said:
HI guys,
Does anyone know how to get a static IP address when using the GPRS connection to the internet. The reason being is because our corporate firewall has to recognise the device through it's IP. Is there any other possible methods for recognising the user?
Also does a VPN work well over GPRS and is there any extra configuration involved on the VPN server
Cheers
Any answers would be great.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Hello Billy,
You ask a good question, but the answer isn't simple. Most carriers do have two types of APN (Access Point Name) provision for your SIM: "private" APN (which provides a non-routable IP assignment from behind a NAT, for basic browsing and e-mail functionality) and "public" APN (that provides a routable IP assignment, which is the Minimum Requirement for a more sophisticated connection type, such as VPN, etc). However, both of them are assigned by a DHCP (Dynamic Host Configuration Protocol) Server on a GGSN (Gateway GPRS Support Node) of your particular GPRS network operator. In either case, the end result will obviously be a DYNAMIC IP address on your GPRS terminal (be it a laptop PC, a PDA, or phone)
Some carriers do offer what is called a "dedicated APN" provision, which gives the subscriber their own IP range to choose from (almost like a small subnet), but it is only available to corporate giants like Pepsi (for example).
Now, to sum it up, you must have the proper APN provisioned on your Mobile SIM account (which the provider will normally call something like a "VPN data package" in billing terms). Then, you must obviously establish a GPRS session before you can connect your VPN client (but remember that most basic VPN clients work the best). It is pretty sad to say, but Microsoft Windows-embedded VPN client on Win2k/XP Pro so far has performed the best with no quirks whatsoever. It has to be via PPTP...L2TP has also worked for me..otherwise, the fancier (and more secure) the VPN tunneling protocol, the more its likely to fail. Normally all you need for a basic MS WIndows VPN client config is the Server name (or IP address), the user name, and the password.
Hope this helps,
Let me know how it goes,
Alex
PS. PM me if you have further questions.

VPN and TS Its like pulling teeth
hi all this has got to be the most anoying problem ever. i can connect to O2 vpn access point and hence i can connect to my work vpn server. however as soon as i try to open a TS connection to my desktop (through the vpn) the VPN connection is dropped and i never connect. Can anybody tell me why? if i have a vpn connection to my work server why does TS try to make another connection and bomb out the original. Is there a fix or another way of doing this i.e. does a external IP have to be nat'd to my desktop IP on port 3389? all help greatly appreciated. Ian

L2TP/IPSec VPN?

I have had a quick search and haven't found an answer so here goes....
I previously had an iPAQ 6365 that I had working with L2TP/IPSec & PPTP VPN connections to a Windows 2003 Server. The L2TP/IPSec took a bit of setting up since I needed to get a Certificate on the device. Anyway after a lot of messing around I got it to work.
I have attempted the same procedure with my QTEK 9100 and I just can't get the L2TP/IPSec VPN client to work at all. I have the PPTP VPN working but if I change the connection from PPTP to L2TP/IPSec the Wizard doesn't even attempt to make a connection. I have put a sniffer on and have captured the PPTP connection setup that now works, but when I attempt to connect the L2TP/IPSec VPN nothing is transmitted by the Wizard at all. There is a brief flash on the Wizard as if it's about to start but nothing happens and the 'VPN server problems' dialogue box appears. I saw the post about disabling the Phone Skin setting in the registry but that has not made any difference.
I am running Faria's AKU 3.2 ROM but I don't remember anything in the notes (now gone...) about L2TP/IPSec VPN's not working....
Has anyone had any success with this?
Thanks
Andy

Just curious, do you use the built-in VPN on the pda, or do you use a separate VPN client for the ppc?

quordandis said:
Just curious, do you use the built-in VPN on the pda, or do you use a separate VPN client for the ppc?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
The built-in VPN client. As I said I had this all working with a iPAQ 6365. There were limitations to the L2TP/IPSec client (no NAT-T being the main one), but I can't even get that far with the Wizard.....
I have done some more testing today and used Molski's 2.26 ROM but get the same results. The Wizard doesn't even attempt to transmit anything when L2TP/IPSec is selected. With PPTP it works every time.
Andy

VPN in Windows Mobile 6

Hi,
I'm currently on a HTC Trinity using Mary's 3.3.5 ROM and want to be able to connect to my universities WiFi network but to do so I need to use a VPN tunnel, anyone recommend a good PPC App that will allow me to connect to my universities VPN?
Cheers,
Mike

mikecsmith said:
Hi,
I'm currently on a HTC Trinity using Mary's 3.3.5 ROM and want to be able to connect to my universities WiFi network but to do so I need to use a VPN tunnel, anyone recommend a good PPC App that will allow me to connect to my universities VPN?
Cheers,
Mike
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
WM6 Pro includes both a PPTP & a L2TP/IPSec VPN client. This will work with most VPN routers & firewalls, however they may not be configured to support it. If you can connect using Windows 2000/XP's built-in PPTP or L2TP/IPSec VPN Client then you can almost certainly connect with WM6's.
A lot if VPN Routers & Firewalls are supplied with a 'free' Windows client that has the documentation geared around it. However most (if not all?) of these products will work with the native VPN client in Windows 2000+ (and WM5/6). I would try and stick with the L2TP/IPSec client but this requires some additional steps over setting up PPTP - on both the client & server (router). It is worth the extra steps in my opinion though.
Andy

I have the same problem ... I am not able to connect using the default VPN client ...

Hi,
There's a great review of vpn clients by Menneisyys in the Wiki. It's entitled:
'Access Your Desktop PC From Your Pocket PC!'
I'm sure you'll find it very useful because it would point you in the right direction as regards VPN tunnelling to your Uni's server.
kiwi992.

kiwi992 said:
Hi,
There's a great review of vpn clients by Menneisyys in the Wiki. It's entitled:
'Access Your Desktop PC From Your Pocket PC!'
I'm sure you'll find it very useful because it would point you in the right direction as regards VPN tunnelling to your Uni's server.
kiwi992.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
HI!
Thank you for your reply, but this articles are about "Remote desktop" - like solutions for WM - based devises. Not for connecting to VPN.
Did anybody have had any success so far?
Any working 3-rd party VPN clients / Solutions?
Thank you in advance.
Dmitry.
====
keyword list: VPN; connection; VNP over WIFI; VPN WM5; VPN WM6; VPN problem; VPN client;

Hi,
You might find Manneisyys' review very long but if you take your time to read it, you'll see that he talks about the various VPN clients and how they compare. VNC, VNC+, etc are all mentioned there.
Just take your time to read it.
kiwi992.

Nice article, is the VPN working?
Do you have the WM6 VPN client working? Specifically the ActiveSync -> VPN -> MS Exchange functionality that was there under WM5?

kiwi992 said:
Hi,
You might find Manneisyys' review very long but if you take your time to read it, you'll see that he talks about the various VPN clients and how they compare. VNC, VNC+, etc are all mentioned there.
Just take your time to read it.
kiwi992.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Thank you for your answer!
But. Once again: the article talks about REMOTE CONTROL with the use of things like: RAdmin, MS RDP, etc.
This sofware - are remote desktops, so called VNC, not VPN clients in a classic way.
There is a little mess we get at the moment. (I've defenetelly got)
Let me describe in detail:
People need VPN here for many reasons, for me it is:
- to connect to some VPN through WIFI with our WM5 \ 6 device.
In my case- this is a public WIFI internet provider, which has a wifi coverage in the city.
Wifi is open PPTP. I need to type in a login \ pass on the web page I get, to start using the internet in current wifi session.
The ALTERNATIVE way to conect to internet - is to establish a VPN connection over the wifi.
I can successfully do in on the laptop.
With my UNI, WM5, AKU 3.5 - I can connect to VPN with the built-in VPN Client, but the first request to internet (via browser or Messaging send-receive) - drops my VPN connection, as it described here in the forum.
So: we need some software that can work.
I tried so far:
1. BlueFire VPN - just can't connect.
2. Antha VPN - just doesn't work.
I have heard thah on some other ROMs there is no problem with the built-in VPN client for PPTP, will try with some other WM6 ROMs later.
Any solution so far?
Thank you, kiwi992
Thanks to everybody!

Hi, im sorry for my bad english.
I have the same Problem. I search for an VPN tool. I have wm6. I know ther ist an VPN client but it doesn't work. To connect to the VPN in my University I need the L2TP/IPSec "safety andcertificate" but I don't kwon where I can load this.
thank's for helping

IronMaster1987 said:
Hi, im sorry for my bad english.
I have the same Problem. I search for an VPN tool. I have wm6. I know ther ist an VPN client but it doesn't work. To connect to the VPN in my University I need the L2TP/IPSec "safety andcertificate" but I don't kwon where I can load this.
thank's for helping
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Hi! The L2TP/IPSec is a special story.
It is widely discussed here at forum: xda-developers > General discussion > Networking >
Search for *VPN* string on this forum.
This is the: http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=302520&page=2&highlight=*VPN* one of the success stories.
You need to obtain the certificate from the system administrators of your network. You may also have some "magic" URL in your campus network, where you can download the required certificate. This URL should point to the inranet web page of the web interface of the VPN server.
If your goal is to securely connect to some specific computer on the network, you should use one of the VNC programs: the VNC server part on the computer, and the VNC client on your device.
In any case - first check your certificate \ settings on, say, Windows XP laptop, connected through WIFI, first, then continue with the device.
Good luck!
Dmitry

VPN problems
I don't know if this issue is specific to my device (pharos gps 600 gps phone), or to windows mobile 6 which I'm running.
I can't connect to my vpn through wifi, the reason being is that I cannot associate any connections through the wifi card with the vpn info.
Wifi card doesn't show as a selectable modem in the modem tab next to the vpn tab in the vpn config. Only modems are cellular line modems, bluetooth, and one "hayes compatible com1" which is my usb I would guess.
Does anybody know how I might get around this?

One way voice over VPN using inbuilt WM6 VoIP client

Hi guys
I know many people have had one way voice issues using the various cabs for enabling the WM6 VoiP client but I don't think this issue is related to that.
I'm connected to a SIP PBX over an OpenVPN connection and everything connects but I the other party cannot hear me. I've done a packet capture and although the SIP INVITE is coming from the correct source address if you drill down into the SIP packet the owner creator etc is the original IP of the device (not the VPN one).
As a result the RTP stream is being directed towards the wrong IP and I'm getting one way voice. This issue doesn't happen with 3rd party SIP clients but I haven't found a good one yet (fring doesn't work on our PBX).
Has anyone came across this issue before?

After further investigation the WM6 client works perfectly when used over a wireless access point. The problem only occurs when using OpenVPN as the original IP address of the wireless adaptor is sent in the invite packet (rather than the VPN IP address), this causes the audio to be streamed to the wrong IP and as such one way voice is experienced. If I find a workaround I'll post it up.

shippyt said:
Hi guys
I know many people have had one way voice issues using the various cabs for enabling the WM6 VoiP client but I don't think this issue is related to that.
I'm connected to a SIP PBX over an OpenVPN connection and everything connects but I the other party cannot hear me. I've done a packet capture and although the SIP INVITE is coming from the correct source address if you drill down into the SIP packet the owner creator etc is the original IP of the device (not the VPN one).
As a result the RTP stream is being directed towards the wrong IP and I'm getting one way voice. This issue doesn't happen with 3rd party SIP clients but I haven't found a good one yet (fring doesn't work on our PBX).
Has anyone came across this issue before?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
This is a known SIP issue. As SIP had been designed to work over end-to-end connections. As SIP is a self routing protocol, the SIP server and user agents use the source IP stated in the SIP header instead of the source IP stated in the IP header for their routing
Most 3rd party SIP clients use a technique called STUN to discover their global IP (behind the NAT, or as in your case the VPN local IP) and they put that IP in the source IP in SIP header.

Tokko said:
This is a known SIP issue. As SIP had been designed to work over end-to-end connections. As SIP is a self routing protocol, the SIP server and user agents use the source IP stated in the SIP header instead of the source IP stated in the IP header for their routing
Most 3rd party SIP clients use a technique called STUN to discover their global IP (behind the NAT, or as in your case the VPN local IP) and they put that IP in the source IP in SIP header.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
is there any workaround? I do not want to install STUN server on a local pc. I connect to my router openvpn (dd-wrt firmware). mega version has also a milkfish sip server. I have been thinking maybe I could use it as proxy to resolve this one-way voice problem?

Hey, I had the same issue recently and I have found a solution: do not enable VoIP calls over 3G/GSM when using SIP Config Tool. I was actually able to make and receive VoIP calls over an OpenVPN connection - the sound was a little choppy at the callee's side, but in general it was quite good. The only problem I have so far is that the phone unregisters itself from server when going to standby mode and registers back when turning on, so I can receive calls only in the latter case.

shurik_1 said:
is there any workaround? I do not want to install STUN server on a local pc. I connect to my router openvpn (dd-wrt firmware). mega version has also a milkfish sip server. I have been thinking maybe I could use it as proxy to resolve this one-way voice problem?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Not to mention native SIP client you are using probably doesn't support STUN anyway.
Proxy idea sounds doable, but then WM device is still going to use the ip of its wireless interface in the INVITE message. Unless this is fixed by the router, milkfish will still be unable to encapsulate incoming RTP traffic into the VPN.
Perhaps you can mangle SIP INVITEs with sip_conntrack available at http://www.iptel.org/sipalg/?

VOIP Behind NAT/Firewall

Hi,
From Internate search I found this forum which is having very useful research and Discussion. I have one question and need solution and reply setp by step for the following issue:-
That I am trying to send voip call by using IP 192.168.0.20 using Port:6800 as SIP port to the Gateway from VPS (softswitch). At the destination we are using a Router (Dlink) for connectivity of internate and Gateway.
When I configure GW with IP 192.168.0.20 SIP port 6800 with username and password, and tried to connect Gateway as SIP client from Softswitch, the messages comes "The GW/Registrar Client does not register as SIP client". Thats means switch is not reaching to Gateway.
As I understand from some study that SIP-based communications cannot reach LAN users behind firewalls and NATs automatically because firewalls are designed to prevent inbound unknown communications.
I would much appreciate if any colleague from this forum may guide me step by step and let me know how this scenario can works.
Thanks
Sameel

I've Googled it and there are two ranges of ports you need open for it to work. Usually though ICE/Stun can get past that. Have you tried that?