Remote desktop connection

[Adamnez2021]

Hi All,

In lockdown 2020 i was able to connect to my work through secure ssl vpn and then using remote desktop connection in windows 10 connect onto my work machines no problem.

Today however i cannot connect through on the remote desktop connection part, it seems as though something has changed in Virgin media as it worked well before and now through hours of investigation and 3 independent IT support calls through my work contacts it no longer works.

I have had to tether my personal phone to my laptop in order to connect to my work place, which is crazy considering it worked fine last year.

Any help would be much appreciated. 

[Eeeps]

A few questions first before the diagnostics.

When you say RDP doesn't work, does the SSL VPN connect OK? Have you confirmed the SSL VPN connection by pinging one of your works IP addresses?

What type of SSL VPN client are you using (is it the MS built in one)?

When connecting your RDP session, how do you connect (with IP address or name)? If by name, can you ping that?

How do you connect the laptop to the VM hub and which hub is it?

[Adamnez2021]

Hi,

Thanks for the reply,

I have WatchGuard mobile vpn ssl client and it connects to the work ip address no problem.

I can ping both the server name and the ipaddress once connected through the vpn tunnel.

However when trying to rdp through to actually see the computer it fails.

I have tested with my own phone being the internet connection using hotspot and the whole process works fine.

The connectivity to my super hub 3 is wifi.

I have even tried turning off the firewall on the super hub to no avail and adding in the necessary port rules in the ip and port filtering and still it will not connect through using my own broadband wifi connection.

I contacted Virgin and they put me through to a 3rd party support firm called gadget support or something and they wanted to try and setup a standing order where they would bill me for six months and sort out the problem.

I refused this service as i feel cheated considering as mentioned on the original message it worked fine during lockdown 2020?

[lotharmat]

Just to summarise:

You can connect successfully to the VPN

When connected to the VPN - you can ping the computer that you wish to RDP to

What error message are you getting when you try to RDP?
It sounds like something has changed on the either the receiving computer or your laptop.

[Adamnez2021]

Yep it connects through the vpn software and the message i receive is as follows:

This computer cant connect to the remote computer

Try connecting again. If the problem continues, contact the owner of the computer or your network administrator.

If the issue was with the remote computer or my laptop why would it work fine through a hotspot connection through my phone and not through the wifi connection supplied by Virgin?

[lotharmat]

That's a good question.

Can you connect to your phone as a hotspot - then to the VPN - then try to RDP?

That'll rule out it being a VM Broadband issue!

[Adamnez2021]

Yes i have done this?

So when i connect my laptop through using either the vm wifi or the mobile tether the vpn side works.

The issue is when using the RDP.

Only when i am connected using the mobile tether does the RDP work.

When using the virgin media wifi the RDP dos not work!

So i am not sure what you are saying as my understanding is if the virgin media wifi allows me to connect through the vpn like the mobile hotspot does also,

Why is it that the RDP does not work when connected only through the vm wifi but works fine when only connected through the hotspot on phone?

That tells me the issue lies with virgin.

[Eeeps]

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@Adamnez2021 wrote:

I have WatchGuard mobile vpn ssl client and it connects to the work ip address no problem.

I can ping both the server name and the ipaddress once connected through the vpn tunnel.

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I also use the WatchGuard SSL VPN. Depending on configuration it may adjust your routing table when it connects.

When you ping the server name does it come back with the correct IP?

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@Adamnez2021 wrote:

However when trying to rdp through to actually see the computer it fails.

---

Have you tried the RDP with both the name and the IP address?
Which version of Windows are you using? Could be a Windows firewall issue on the VPN connection.

Also worth checking are the subnets being used for your local network (as provided by your SH3) and that provided by your works VPN.

When the VPN is connected, is all traffic forced over the VPN? Try a tracert to bbc.co.uk and see how it gets there.

[Adamnez2021]

Hi,

When pinging the server name it comes back with the correct internal ip address yes.

The RDP still does not work when using the ipaddress or the server name.

windows firewall should not come into play as it works fine through the same software for the vpn and then the RDP through to the machine using the mobile tether connection.

Ran the tracert in cmd on bbc.co.uk and got reults showing virgin media ipaddresses  one request timed out all others coplete.

[Eeeps]

Strange. What are the two IP subnet in use on the client PC when the VPN is connected?

Do you have any other connection / protocols you can try over the VPN. telnet or a web service?

The RDP is definitely connecting via the VPN not via a RDP gateway?