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View Full Version : VPN Method to work around Firewalls.



Wezas
11-19-2004, 08:48 PM
Since my post in another thread has sparked a few U2U's - I thought I'd just make a new post instead of saying the same thing in each U2U.

The situation is - You are at work/school/somewhere with a firewall. They won't let you access the ports to play Gemstone or other games, the Nerve!

If you have friends, family, or even your own house that has high speed internet - you can use that connection to play your games from work/school. Basically you're making a tunnel from your work/school to the network that is able to access the games.

1. Make sure that high speed internet computer/router has a static IP address. If it is not static - you may be forced to check your connection options each time you try.

2. On the computer that has access to the game - you need to go to Start-->Settings-->Network and Dialup Connections-->Make a new connection.

3. Once the screen pops up, go through the menus until you come to an option for "Accept incoming connections". On the next screen you can choose the devices that your computer will use connect (Mine doesn't show my network adapter, so I didn't check any of the boxes and it works fine)

4. Choose the "Allow Virtual Private Connections" option. On the next screen, you can set up your login/password. I would suggest making a password other then "password". The rest of the menus are pretty self explanitory - select what exactly you'd like to share (Just TCP/IP, or also select File & Printer sharing if you'd like to be able to access those)

5. Hurray! You're halfway there. If you have a router - you'll need to go into your router configuration and forward port 1723 to the internal IP of the computer that you just set up (it will be an internal IP number, like 192.168.1.102). I also set that computer as the DMZ in my router software (to make it the default host for any incoming connections).

6. Alright - now we just need to set up the computer you'll be calling it from. On the computer - go to Start-->Settings-->Network and Dial up connections-->Make New Connection.

7. Connect to Private Network through the Internet-->Do not dial the initial connection-->Enter the IP address for the host computer (you can find this by going on your host computer and going to http://whatismyip.com or other sites)

8. If you're prompted if you want to use your smart card - then say no. Go through the menus till the end.

9. Open the new connection - you'll have the ability to put your login/password in (you can save it, but I wouldn't suggest it if others may be on your PC).

10. Once you're connected - I suggest opening your internet explorer browser and trying a webpage. If it comes up - then you should be just fine. All internet activity is going through your new connection. If your webpage doesn't come up (but you can see by the little icon in the bottom right that you're *sending* data and just not *receiving* it - then try disconnecting and connecting again. For some reason it sometimes takes me 2-3 tries.


If you have any questions - post them here. Others might have the same question. I'm not an expert by any means - but this is what has worked for me.

All the computers I use are either Windows 2000/XP. The router I use is a Linksys Wireless 4 port.

AnticorRifling
11-19-2004, 09:14 PM
Problem 1 that I didn't see you mention...

Any network admin worth their salt will be checking not only incomming VPNs but outgoing tunnels as well. Cisco's basic network monitoring software spots it like cake as well some of the more expensive ones. A private tunnel out of a network is considered a huge breech of security because you can quickly and quietly move all the confidental data you need offsite as well as upload anything of a malicious nature into the infrastructure by circumventing the firewall. Bye-bye job.

Now if you work in a place where this isn't an issue kudos and do it, the steps he descriped, with very good detail I might add, work just fine. If you work in an enviroment where this could cause potential jail time (me for example) don't.

/protective big brother :cool:

The Korean
11-19-2004, 09:26 PM
I would do this, but I would end up in military jail. No breaking rocks for me, thankyouverymuch

Wezas
11-19-2004, 09:29 PM
Well the original question I got was for someone who was in college and couldn't get around their firewall.

But take this as a warning everyone - I take no responsibility in any job loss/kicked out of school-ness.

I am pretty close with the LAN-ops guy and let him know what i was doing so it's not a huge issue.

AnticorRifling
11-19-2004, 09:30 PM
Originally posted by The Korean
I would do this, but I would end up in military jail. No breaking rocks for me, thankyouverymuch

Where do you think I learned my lessons on Information Security and Integrity :cool:

JadeScarlet
11-30-2004, 07:23 PM
Hmmm. Well, first of all, I still don't have any friends that have a high speed internet connection at home (because most of them live in the same dorm building as me). And I already have Cisco VPN software installed on my computer which I use to connect to the University's wireless network.

I think I'll just learn to live without Gemstone for a while and keep my extracurricluar illegal activity to watching TV without a license.

But I'm going to my parents for a few weeks at christmas, and then to my boyfriends, both have high speed wireless internet so I'll be around for the month of December/January or thereabouts.