[vpn] VPN and Browsing at Same Time

[Stephen Hope]

Eddie,

this is usually a choice when the VPN is set up - it can be turned off or
on.

the capability is known as "split tunnelling" - i.e. whether your local
Internet access is available or not when the VPN connection is active.
Stopping you accessing Internet and VPN at the same time improves security
for the corporate network.

However, it sounds like it isnt working properly anyway - if split
tunnelling is forbidden, then normally the enterprise network should provide
you with DNS etc and also Internet access (ie your traffic goes across the
VPN to them, then out to the Internet there).

So you have either a deliberately crippled connection, or it is
misconfigured - talk to the VPN admin people to find out what is supposed to
happen, and then get the relevant bit fixed.


regards

Stephen

Stephen Hope C. Eng, Senior Network Consultant,
stephen.hope at energis.com,
Energis UK, WWW: http://www.energis.com
Carrington Business Park, Carrington, Manchester , UK. M31 4ZU
Tel: +44 (0)161 776 4194 Mob: +44 (0)780 002 2626 Fax: +44 (0)161 776
4189


> -----Original Message-----
> From: Eddie Harrison [mailto:eddie at ualp.com]
> Sent: Thursday, March 07, 2002 3:16 PM
> To: vpn at securityfocus.com
> Subject: [vpn] VPN and Browsing at Same Time
> 
> 
> 
> Hi,
>  
> I'm new to the VPN stuff and don't know exactly how it works 
> with a typical. I have a problem that I hope someone can help 
> me with or at least tell me if it's typical and that I'll 
> have to live with it.
>  
>  I have a pc at home that connects via DSL. I have a software 
> VPN that routes to my company's email server so that I can 
> receive Lotus Notes email.  With the current setup (my 
> company set this up) I can not browse the web while I am 
> connected to the VPN to receive email. I receive a "page not 
> found" error as though there is no DNS available. I must 
> disconnect the VPN and sometimes even have to reboot before I 
> can go back to browsing. As you might imagine, this poses a 
> huge problem in that any link that I receive in an email 
> can't be used without a copy/paste into the browser once I 
> have shut the VPN down. 
>  
> Is this typical of VPNs and is there a way around it? 
>  
> Thanks in advance for any help.
> 


********************************************************************************************************
This e-mail is from Energis plc, 50 Victoria Embankment, London, EC4Y 0DE, United 
Kingdom, No: 2630471.

This e-mail is confidential to the addressee and may be privileged. The views 
expressed are personal and do not necessarily reflect those of Energis. If you are not 
the intended recipient please notify the sender immediately by calling our switchboard on 
+44 (0) 20 7206 5555 and do not disclose to another person or use, copy or forward 
all or any of it in any form.

********************************************************************************************************


VPN is sponsored by SecurityFocus.com