Linksys Wireless Router Problem

[grich357]

I have a linksys wireless router that works fine when I connect my laptop directly to the router by an ethernet cable. I can connect to my company's VPN and launch Outlook. My problem comes when I use my wireless connection. I can connect through the VPN but when I launch Outlook I get a message that the microsoft exchange server is unavailable. What can I do to fix this problem?

[Greenstead]

That is a strange problem. The use of wireless should make no difference. Are you sure its not just coincidence you get an Outlook problem when using wireless.

I use Nortel VPN with my office and use Outlook and it works wired or wireless, with or without encrtyption etc. Never a problem.

[cszeto]

It's out of scope, but any remote chance that the VPN client is purposely not allowing a wireless connection to function? Under normal use a wireless connection should behave just like a wired connection, but maybe they are blocking wireless connections from working as a security measure?

I haven't seen nor heard of any specific application, but could see how some might view that as a security measure. You haven't mentioned which VPN client you are using, as there are a few out there and more to show up in the marketplace.

Your best bet is to work with your company's internal IT to ensure that you aren't running up against any established security policies of such.

[grich357]

I seem to have narrowed my problem down to the software on the laptop. I connected the wireless network adapter to my desktop which runs Windows ME and disconnected the ethernet cable and the VPN worked along with microsoft outlook.

THus my problem is with my laptop. The laptop has XP Professional on it. The one difference I recognize after I connect on the desktop is I am asked for my microsoft networking name and password. This does not happen with the laptop running XP proffesional. Once again the VPN connects on the laptop but I cannot launch the outlook without receiving an error message that it cannot find the mail server.

Any idea what would be causing this to not work on the XP proffesional machine and works fine on the Windows ME machine?

THanks

[cszeto]

It sounds like the notebook's VPN connection may not be working at all or not accessing the correct remote resources when connected, based upon you description.

Once again, VPN networking is beyond the scope of this forum. Your best bet is to contact your internal IT for assistance.

[lin tech]

for vpn connection using linksys wireless routers, you have to open/forward ports for vpn..... and you have to set it up under the router's setup page. and by the way you have to assign the ip address of the wireless client for the ports that you'e going to open on the router.:)