Network issue

Hi all

I'm having problems which after much research i cannot resolve. Hope somebody can help me.

My setup is as follows:

Laptop running Windows 7 Professional

Connected wirelessly to Netgear router DG834GT with latest firmware

Xbox 360 wired to router.

I use my laptop to stream movies etc to my xbox 360 through windows media center. The setup works great no problems at all.

However i need to run a open VPN connection so that i get a UK IP address for 40d etc. When I am connected to the VPN my xbox will not connect to my xbox anymore. As soon as i disconnect the VPN xbox finds laptop.

I believe that the problem occurs as when i connect to my VPN a new network connection appears which is unreconised by windows. My wireless connection is also there but is part of my home group. It will not let me change the new network connectio to work / home etc. Maybe this is the problem.

I have contacted the VPN company and their reply was as follows:

Yes, this is because all traffic from your laptop is routed over the tunnel and your laptop obtains new IP with new gateway with VPN connected, it is working as intended. You can setup VPN on your router, so all your devices will obtain new VPN IP and they will be able to see each other inside local network aswell.

I don't really want to all my traffic to run through the VPN but will if i have to.

Any ideas?

Hi andyd92, welcome to sevenforums.

Imagine your network connection as a "pipe". Windows can only use ONE "pipe" at a time. At first, you have only 1 "pipe", connecting your laptop to your LAN, where your xbox can see your laptop. Now, when you enabled a VPN connection, Windows sees another "pipe", and use it as the default connection, ignoring your LAN connection. Btw, VPN connection that uses your LAN connection is like a "pipe" within a "pipe".

What your VPN company said is all true, you need to setup the VPN connection at your router, and setup the routing accordingly. I have similar setup as your do, I use mikrotik router to manage all of my connections (I have 3 VPN connections and 2 Internet connection [for failover]).

Hope this helps...

zzz2496

mmmm i see. Thanks for your reply. Ok well it looks like i gotta go shopping to get a router that can support my VPN connection or dd-wrt firmware.

I was reading on another forum that when i'm connected to the VPN and the other network connection appears i cannot change its network location because i don't have a default gateway specified. If i change this then i could set it to home or work and should be able to connect. Take it this is un true?

I don't really want to run my xbox 360 through the VPN as i have no need but i guess i have no option.

andyd92 said:

mmmm i see. Thanks for your reply. Ok well it looks like i gotta go shopping to get a router that can support my VPN connection or dd-wrt firmware.

I was reading on another forum that when i'm connected to the VPN and the other network connection appears i cannot change its network location because i don't have a default gateway specified. If i change this then i could set it to home or work and should be able to connect. Take it this is un true?

I don't really want to run my xbox 360 through the VPN as i have no need but i guess i have no option.

I would totally love to help you on this matter but i dont have an Xbox to test... Never got the guts nor the spare cash to buy one.

Good luck on your quest

No, the "Network Location" is just a label for Windows Firewall rules template. Windows by default will only use ONE connection at a time. There's another way you can do this, install XP mode, change the networking of the VPC VMM to bridge, and use XP Mode as your "computer" for VPN needs. Other than that, then it's a router with VPN client capability. I use mikrotik router, it's BY FAR better than DD-WRT, and much more configurable too. I know for sure [using mikrotik] you can block the traffic from VPN connection so that it won't reach your XBOX.

Hope this helps.

zzz2496

thanks for your help.

think i'll go shopping.....