Hi
We have a Draytek 2860 with a BT Fibre connection.
It readily accepts a VPN connection from Win 10 machines and usually connects reliably within seconds.
However it does not seem to work reliably on Windows 7. Either the Windows 7 machine connects most times or on some machines will not connect at all with default settings (PPTN Enabled).
I get Either Error 800 if connection Type set to Automatic or 807 if I force it to PPTP.
It seems that others have similar problems with Win 7 Microsoft VPN Client but no-one seems to have a definitive fix that I have found yet. I have tried all the usual "Disable your Firewall" etc generic advice.
Any useful advice specific to this issue welcomed.

Setup - 2 PCs side-by-side:-
PC1
Intel i3 4GB RAM Running 64-bit Windows 7 Pro, Version 6.1.7601, SP1
Connects reliably to remote router, can ping all IPs at remote site but cannot access anything on http. No Gateway appears on remote connection in response from ipconfig /all
VPN settings mostly as default for a new connection although IPv6 manually disabled.

PC2
Intel i7 8GB RAM Running 64-bit Windows 7 Pro, Version 6.1.7601, SP1
Identical setup of VPN
Clean build of Windows just installed
Can't connect at all.

You could try a game of spot the difference between the Win 7 and Win 10 machines. Different firewall rules?, different AV software?, different setting in the RAS entry used to contact the Vigor?

You could also try using the Draytek SmartVPN client to configure the connection. For PPTP & L2TP it seems to create a RAS entry called 'To Vigor', which it then invokes. It also configures some Registry setting (which I can't for the life of me recall), that allows VPN connections to work via NAT.

If you're happy using the Draytek SmartVPN client, you could configure it to use SSL instead of PPTP. This isn't available natively in Windows - the SmartVPN client adds a layer of 'driver' software. It may work, where PPTP won't (being simpler in implementation) ... and has the added benefit of being secure (unlike PPTP :shock: )

hornbyp

OK - I downloaded and installed the SmartVPN Client (which I'm afraid I had never been aware of), but no joy so far I'm afraid.

I'm used to PPTN (which I accept is now deprecated but in our environment it is adequate) but not the other supported protocols.

I have tried setting up Profiles in the SmartVPN for PPTN - Can't connect - gives an "Unknown Error" which is not helpful

I then tried setting a pre-shared key (with a long password) on the Draytek and set up an IPSec Profile on the SmartVPN. It just says "IPSec Policy Activated" and firing up the "To Vigor" connection then fails with an Error 807.

Finally I tried an SSL Profile in the SmartVPN but trying to connect with that gives "Can't connect to VPN Tunnel server". Does something need to be set up on the Draytek for this to work?

I confess I am in uncharted territory here and don't really know how these protocols are supposed to work. If you could point me to a simple step-by-step somewhere just to get something working I'd be grateful.

Try the following articles :-

Teleworker VPN - PPTP - Windows VPN Client https://www.draytek.co.uk/support/guides/kb-teleworker-pptp-windows
Teleworker VPN - PPTP - DrayTek Smart VPN Client https://www.draytek.co.uk/support/guides/kb-teleworker-smartvpn-pptp
Teleworker VPN - L2TP over IPsec - DrayTek Smart VPN Client https://www.draytek.co.uk/support/guides/kb-teleworker-smartvpn-l2tpoveripsec
Teleworker VPN - SSL - DrayTek Smart VPN Client https://www.draytek.co.uk/support/guides/kb-teleworker-smartvpn-ssl

The SmartVPN Client examples are for the earlier version - which had a radically different interface. The previous version is here: https://www.draytek.co.uk/support/downloads/software/older-software/send/639-older-software-versions/1180-smartvpnclient-434

Also, read this: https://www.comparitech.com/blog/vpn-privacy/the-pptp-vpn-protocol-is-not-secure-use-these-alternatives-instead/#gref (or one of the many similar articles)

hornbyp

Thanks very much for the links. I'll let you know if I have any success!

Well, I have to report mixed results with all those connections... Some Good News, Some Bad News...

Basically I uninstalled the latest SmartVPN Client and installed the older 4.3.4 one.

Followed all the instructions for L2TP over IPSec. No Joy. Status : Dialling, long pause, "Unknown Error"

Then I tried SSL VPN using the same Client. No Joy. Status : Open SSL Connection. "Can't connect to SSL VPN Tunnel Server !!!"

In desperation I tried the original MS PPTP again. Amazingly it now works reliably on PC1 so we must have fixed something!

On PC2 - installed new SmartVPN Client - no joy at all.

My head hurts...