Is there a way to connect to a Microsoft VPN?

[Eric Schuele]

WOB wrote:
> 
>> I use /usr/ports/net/pptpclient to connect to a MS VPN endpoint and 
>> /usr/ports/net/rdesktop to "Remote Desktop" to my XP machine at the 
>> office.  Works great.
>>
> This sounded like what I needed to do.
> 
> When I run the pptp client, it doesn't appear to do anything.  I did the 
> following:
> 
>  cd /usr/ports/net/pptpclient
>  make install clean
>  cd /usr/ports/net/rdesktop
>  make install clean
>  rehash
> 
> I found these instructions at FreeBSD Diary and tried to follow them:
> 
>  http://www.freebsddiary.org/pptp.php
> 
> My connection information is as follows:
> 
>  My workplace's outside VPN Name: vpn.wobs-work.com
>  My workplace's outside VPN external IP: 100.200.300.16
>  My workplace Username: wob
>  My workplace Password: wobpassword
>  My Workplace's Windows XP Pro PC:  5.10.15.79
>  My Workplaces Internal Subnet: 5.10.15.x
> 
>  My home FreeBSD's IP: 192.168.1.25
>  My FreeBSD's machine NIC: fxp0
>  My home router's IP: 192.168.1.1
> 
> So I made a /etc/ppp/ppp.conf file:
> 
>  WORKVPN:
>    set authname wob

If you are authenticating against a domain change the above to
    set authname domain\\wob

>    set authkey wobpassword

My auth key is in double quotes.  Possibly due to enclosed punctuation I 
forget.  So try:
    set authkey "wobpassword"

>    set timeout 0
>    set ifaddr 0 0
>    add 100.200.300.16/24 HISADDR

change the above add to:
    add 5.10.15.0/24 HISADDR
Should be the subnet you will be given an IP address on.  Use 
appropriate mask.

>    alias enable yes
> 
> Then I ran it as root:
>  cd /etc/ppp
>  /usr/local/sbin/pptp vpn.wobs-work.com WORKVPN

The above is what I do.... although I use the IP address.  Name 'should' 
work assuming name resolution is good.

> 
> The program seems to run for about 5 seconds, then returns to shell 
> prompt.  I then tried:
> 
>  /usr/local/sbin/pptp vpn.wobs-work.com WORKVPN --loglevel 2
> 
> and:
> 
>  /usr/local/sbin/pptp 100.200.300.16 WORKVPN --loglevel 2
> 
> But it still did not print out anything.
> 
>  ifconfig tun0
> 
> displays:
> 
>  tun0: flags=8010<POINTOPOINT,MULTICAST> mtu 1500
> 
> I think I might have to add a route command once the "tunnel" is up.  My 

route should be taken care of for you.

> understanding is, is that the pptp client is not supposed to return to 
> the shell prompt until I cancel it with a CTRL-C.  

true enough.  Or you can background it and kill it later.  Though I had 
mixed results (cores on occasion) killing it manually.   But it always 
ran fine while up and running.

> I normally use my 
> home Windows XP Pro box to connect to my works VPN, and then use 
> RemoteDesktop to connect to my Work PC - so I know the connections work 
> under Windows.  I want to get rid of my home Windows box.
> 
> Any suggestions?  I'm kinda new, but I am trying to learn.
> 
> 

once its up and running, your rdesktop command will look like:
    rdesktop -f -a 16 ip_address
      - or if like me you run it on alt port -
    rdesktop -f -a 16 ip_address:port

machine names of course work with functional name resolution.

-- 
Regards,
Eric