Setting up PPTP VPN

[brossyg]

I have read posts on this, but somehow cannot get it to work on my ASUS RT-AC68U with standard ASUS firmware. I want to be able to connect my Windows 10 laptop to my router/LAN via PPTP VPN from a hotel room 1,000 miles away so I can use Microsoft Remote Desktop via VPN to connect to the computers on the LAN.

I enabled PPTP VPN and created a Username/Password.
Then came the first problem: Step 2 is "(2) Set the IP pool for client IP. (Maximum 30 clients)" but there is no where to do this. So how?

Second problem is that in the advanced options, the last parameter is:

"Client IP address ~ 192.168.10.2 - 192.168.10.11 Maximum 30 clients "

So ... is the 'Client IP" the LAN IP of the computer I am trying to access on my LAN through the VPN (in which case the addresses are "192.168.1.xxx" or is the "Client IP" the IP of my laptop in the hotel room 1,000 miles away from my router that I am using to establish a VPN connection to my router with? (in which case it wouldn't be in this IP range either?).

Then, I went to the VPN Client tab and created and activated a VPN Client (not sure why … is this "Client" for my laptop in the remote hotel room?). Also, when I activated the client the wheel in the left status column never stopped spinning.

The last set of issues is ... when I am in that hotel room 1,000 miles away with my laptop, I assume I establish a VPN connection using my router's WAN IP ??? If correct, then when I open Microsoft Remote Desktop, will it be using the hotel's WIFI connection (non-VPN), or the computer's established VPN connection? How does RDC know which one to use.

Is there someplace that has clear, simple instructions to all of this?

Thanks.

 

[ColinTaylor]

Then came the first problem: Step 2 is "(2) Set the IP pool for client IP. (Maximum 30 clients)" but there is no where to do this. So how?

Yes, it's badly described. The "(2) Set the IP pool for client IP" is on the VPN details page!

Second problem is that in the advanced options, the last parameter is:

"Client IP address ~ 192.168.10.2 - 192.168.10.11 Maximum 30 clients "

So ... is the 'Client IP" the LAN IP of the computer I am trying to access on my LAN through the VPN (in which case the addresses are "192.168.1.xxx" or is the "Client IP" the IP of my laptop in the hotel room 1,000 miles away from my router that I am using to establish a VPN connection to my router with? (in which case it wouldn't be in this IP range either?).

Neither. It is an entirely new subnet that the VPN creates that is connected to your LAN. It will create the new network (192.168.10.*) and route traffic between it and the LAN. Leave it at the default.

Then, I went to the VPN Client tab and created and activated a VPN Client (not sure why … is this "Client" for my laptop in the remote hotel room?). Also, when I activated the client the wheel in the left status column never stopped spinning.

Wrong! You don't need this, leave it disabled. The VPN client will be on the laptop, not the router.

The last set of issues is ... when I am in that hotel room 1,000 miles away with my laptop, I assume I establish a VPN connection using my router's WAN IP ???

Correct.

If correct, then when I open Microsoft Remote Desktop, will it be using the hotel's WIFI connection (non-VPN), or the computer's established VPN connection? How does RDC know which one to use.

Depends what you mean by "it". When the VPN client on the laptop is active all traffic from the laptop will go through the tunnel to your LAN. Any RDC session traffic (desktop graphics, audio, etc.) will obviously route back through the tunnel. All other network activity on the LAN PC will be as normal.

 

[yorgi]

I have read posts on this, but somehow cannot get it to work on my ASUS RT-AC68U with standard ASUS firmware. I want to be able to connect my Windows 10 laptop to my router/LAN via PPTP VPN from a hotel room 1,000 miles away so I can use Microsoft Remote Desktop via VPN to connect to the computers on the LAN.

I enabled PPTP VPN and created a Username/Password.
Then came the first problem: Step 2 is "(2) Set the IP pool for client IP. (Maximum 30 clients)" but there is no where to do this. So how?

Second problem is that in the advanced options, the last parameter is:

"Client IP address ~ 192.168.10.2 - 192.168.10.11 Maximum 30 clients "

So ... is the 'Client IP" the LAN IP of the computer I am trying to access on my LAN through the VPN (in which case the addresses are "192.168.1.xxx" or is the "Client IP" the IP of my laptop in the hotel room 1,000 miles away from my router that I am using to establish a VPN connection to my router with? (in which case it wouldn't be in this IP range either?).

Then, I went to the VPN Client tab and created and activated a VPN Client (not sure why … is this "Client" for my laptop in the remote hotel room?). Also, when I activated the client the wheel in the left status column never stopped spinning.

The last set of issues is ... when I am in that hotel room 1,000 miles away with my laptop, I assume I establish a VPN connection using my router's WAN IP ??? If correct, then when I open Microsoft Remote Desktop, will it be using the hotel's WIFI connection (non-VPN), or the computer's established VPN connection? How does RDC know which one to use.

Is there someplace that has clear, simple instructions to all of this?

Thanks.

If I where in your situation I would stop the PPTP server or VPN server and just open up a port forward on your router to allow RDC to be accessed from a hotel room or anywhere else in the world. Remote desktop is like a VPN tunnel. Its super secure and you don't need a VPN server or PPTP server if all you need to do is remote desktop. You have access to your network and your desktop and its just like working on your PC at home. Just be sure to have a very secure password.
Don't complicate your life!

 

[Samir]

If I where in your situation I would stop the PPTP server or VPN server and just open up a port forward on your router to allow RDC to be accessed from a hotel room or anywhere else in the world. Remote desktop is like a VPN tunnel. Its super secure and you don't need a VPN server or PPTP server if all you need to do is remote desktop. You have access to your network and your desktop and its just like working on your PC at home. Just be sure to have a very secure password.
Don't complicate your life!

While this can be a little simpler, it doesn't offer the ability to directly connect to anything else on the remote LAN. It also doesn't offer the slight improvement in security that a VPN tunnel does. Multiple layers of security definitely help with preventing security breeches if there's any sensitive data.