VPN doesn't work with Intel MacBook Pro

[playersons]

I used to to get access to a remote network (Mac OS X Server 10.4.x) by the built-in VPN client on my PowerBook G4 and OS X 10.4.x all the time without any hitches. Now that I have a shiny new MacBook Pro the VPN client doesn't seem to work at all. Whenever I try to connect nothing happens and everything simply times out. The odd thing is that there is never any login attempt visible on the server side, as if login actually never took place or reached the remote host.
Has anybody else experienced strange behaviour in regard to VPN connections? Or, even better, has anyone any hint for me how to troubleshoot this?

Thanks in advance,
playersons

[tbsingleton73]

Did you migrate your setting over from your old Mac?
Have you tried deleting the VPN connection and creating a new connection?
Can you ping the adress you are trying to connect to and get a result back?

From the sounds of things the issue is on your side, otherwise the server you are trying to connect to should report a login attempt.

Can anyone else connect to the VPN?

[mkoreiwo]

way out 'a my league, but I think there was something I read about this issue, and someone got around it by getting rid if the "intel" vpn s/w on the mac and using the "older" OS 10 version of the s/w....

I'm not trying to obfuscate the issue here by stating any falsehood, as said, I "think" I saw a solution... Credibility would be better if I could recall where!!

[playersons]

Quote: Originally Posted by tbsingleton73 Did you migrate your setting over from your old Mac? Have you tried deleting the VPN connection and creating a new connection? Can you ping the adress you are trying to connect to and get a result back? From the sounds of things the issue is on your side, otherwise the server you are trying to connect to should report a login attempt. Can anyone else connect to the VPN?

I tried both ways, migrating and creating new settings. The network is there, I can ping it, ssh into it, create a tunnel and use Timbuktu instead of the VPN/ARD combo, and do a lot of other fancy stuff. Except doing VPN.
Funny, when I switch to another machine like an iMac G5, VPN to the same remote network/host works instantly.

[CAlvarez]

I've seen some issues with PPTP VPN with the Intels that I had not seen before, which I find very strange. However, I do see the login attempts and the failure happens at the GRE/LCP negotiation stage. It appears to be related to the routers used, and their ability to handle GRE protocol over NAT on both ends.

Is this a PPTP or IPSEC VPN you are using? What routers are in use on both ends? What is the VPN termination endpoint device?

[playersons]

Quote: Originally Posted by CAlvarez I've seen some issues with PPTP VPN with the Intels that I had not seen before, which I find very strange. However, I do see the login attempts and the failure happens at the GRE/LCP negotiation stage. It appears to be related to the routers used, and their ability to handle GRE protocol over NAT on both ends. Is this a PPTP or IPSEC VPN you are using? What routers are in use on both ends? What is the VPN termination endpoint device?

It's L2TP (IPSEC) and the router on the remote end is the Mac OS X Server itself doing all the nat/ipfw/vpn stuff.
The router on the local end is a Linksys. Remind you, the whole setup works perfect if VPN is initiated from a PowerPC Mac (i.e. iMac G5 or PowerBook G4) and fails completely, though without any trace if tried from the MacBook Pro.

[CAlvarez]

Open the log on the client side. At what stage does it fail?

[playersons]

Quote: Originally Posted by CAlvarez Open the log on the client side. At what stage does it fail?

This is all I get in the log:

Thu Mar 30 23:09:22 2006 : L2TP connecting to server '62.109.88.xxx'
Thu Mar 30 23:09:25 2006 : L2TP sent SCCRQ
Thu Mar 30 23:10:25 2006 : L2TP cannot connect to the server

[boo2]

I've encountered a problem connecting to my university VPN via PPTP on my macbook pro. I can gain access on any other computer with PPTP but not with my intel mac. I'm currently using the cisco client instead - which works perfectly, leading me to believe there is some kind of fault in the new intel VPN client. The OSX inbuilt client stops at "negotiating..."

[k7lim]

I also cannot connect to my VPN using the built-in PPTP client on my MacBook Pro.

I would be happy to post logs, but I'm not sure where to grab them.

Best,
Kevin

[dustinfrost]

My Internet works and I can ping the Cisco Pix 501. I can VPN from my windows computer to the Pix fine, but I cannot successfully negotiate a connection on my MacBook Pro.
Does anyone know of an alternative solution?

[awbush]

I'm in a similar boat:

I just received a new 17" MacBook Pro (2.33 GHz Intel Core 2 Duo), and migrated the users, applications, and settings from my 17" PowerBook (1 GHz PowerPC). The original PowerBook can connect to VPN just fine, while the MacBook Pro times out every time (after 30 seconds) with the message:

"Could not negotiate a connection with the remote PPP server. Please verify your settings and try again."

The log shows (domain & IP address removed):

Dec 29 20:16:56 MacBookPro pppd[509]: pppd 2.4.2 (Apple version 233-13) started by root, uid 501
Dec 29 20:16:56 MacBookPro pppd[509]: PPTP connecting to server 'xxx.xxx.com' (xxx.xxx.xxx.xxx)...\n
Dec 29 20:16:56 MacBookPro pppd[509]: PPTP connection established.
Dec 29 20:16:56 MacBookPro pppd[509]: Connect: ppp0 <--> socket[34:17]
Dec 29 20:17:26 MacBookPro pppd[509]: LCP: timeout sending Config-Requests\n
Dec 29 20:17:26 MacBookPro pppd[509]: Connection terminated.
Dec 29 20:17:26 MacBookPro pppd[509]: PPTP disconnecting...\n
Dec 29 20:17:26 MacBookPro pppd[509]: PPTP disconnected\n

The log on the (working) PowerBook shows:

Dec 29 20:26:58 PowerBook pppd[1300]: pppd 2.4.2 (Apple version 233-0-4) started by root, uid 501
Dec 29 20:26:58 PowerBook pppd[1300]: PPTP connecting to server 'xxx.xxx.com' (xxx.xxx.xxx.xxx)...\n
Dec 29 20:26:58 PowerBook pppd[1300]: PPTP connection established.
Dec 29 20:26:58 PowerBook pppd[1300]: Connect: ppp0 <--> socket[34:17]
Dec 29 20:27:00 PowerBook pppd[1300]: MPPE 128-bit stateless compression enabled
Dec 29 20:27:01 PowerBook pppd[1300]: local  IP address 10.0.0.31
Dec 29 20:27:01 PowerBook pppd[1300]: remote IP address 10.0.0.25
Dec 29 20:27:01 PowerBook launchd: Server 0 in bootstrap 1103 uid 0: "/usr/sbin/lookupd"[1284]: exited abnormally: Hangup
Dec 29 20:27:01 PowerBook pppd[1300]: primary   DNS address 10.0.0.101
Dec 29 20:27:01 PowerBook pppd[1300]: secondary DNS address 10.0.0.110
Dec 29 20:27:01 PowerBook lookupd[1301]: lookupd (version 369.5) starting - Fri Dec 29 20:27:01 2006
Dec 29 20:27:01 PowerBook configd[69]: posting notification com.apple.system.config.network_change
Dec 29 20:27:01 PowerBook launchd: Server 10a43 in bootstrap 1103 uid 0: "/usr/sbin/lookupd"[1301]: exited abnormally: Hangup
Dec 29 20:27:01 PowerBook lookupd[1302]: lookupd (version 369.5) starting - Fri Dec 29 20:27:01 2006

The main difference I see is between the pppd versions. Both are "2.4.2" but the PowerBook is "Apple version 233-0-4" while the MacBook Pro is "Apple version 233-13."

Has anyone found a fix? I'd like to use the built-in PPTP client rather than a 3rd-party client.

[awbush]

I found the solution (for my case, anyway).

I had Internet Sharing turned on (sharing AirPort over Built-in Ethernet), which I had forgotten that I enabled during family Christmas get together.

To check this for your machine, open System Preferences, go to the Sharing pane, and switch to the Internet tab. If it's on, stop it and try the VPN again. Mine came right up after doing this and I verified that it "broke" again after turning the Internet Sharing back on.

[KYBook58]

I use proprietary VPN software for work (Checkpoint). It worked fine on my iBook G4, but when I tried to use it on my new MacBook (Core Duo), it didnt work, and has mystified the IT department. They can see me being authenticated, but my computer does not respond to the response info. Consequently, I could get authenticated, but could not access any of the secure websites behind the firewall. This remains unsolved, so I kept the iBook for work.

Then, I upgraded the home network with a new AEBS-n yesterday. Now, the Checkpoint software isnt working on the iBook. The error message I receive during the authentication process is Gateway is not responding. If I connect directly to the cable modem, the VPN/iBook combo works fine.

I stumped Apple Care this morning, and I dread bringing the new issue to my company's IT guys.

Anyone have any analysis / advice?

[jonnybee]

Same problem for me..

http://forums.macosxhints.com/showthread.php?t=67608