View Full Version : GPRS and VPN's - MTNBB please help!
Hi everybody
I started a thread on this topic last week, but it seemed to have disappeared :(
Since last week I have been unable to connect to an Mweb vpn via MTN's gprs. The vpn still works using a normal GSM dial-up. After a call to Mweb and a lot of calls to MTN, I got this response:
From Leslie (a supervisor at MTN's corporate helpdesk, 1555):
"The public APN (myMTN) is blocked for VPN's and has always been so. If it was possible to connect to a vpn via GPRS, it was due to a technical error and should not have been so. If I wish to use a vpn over gprs, MTN Corporate solutions will setup a private APN for me (at a fee)."
From a earlier thread on this forum, I was under the impression the unblocking of vpn's on the GPRS APN was permanent. Can MTNBB please confirm this.
If there are other people using VPN's over GPRS, plz email/pm me the details.
ScrnScrm
19-05-2005, 06:34 PM
This is really getting annoying. Sometimes its blocked, othertimes it isnt. Tonight its blocked and I cant VPN back into the office to synch my mail. Grrrrrr. I have access to a corporate APN solution, but its not authenticating either.
I have solved the problem by using another Network, but this is not on. MTN need to sort this out for once and for all. Me thinks they have huge authentication issues on the backend that they are "hiding" from us. The inconsistencies with the service are very irritating as an end user!
BloemGuy
19-05-2005, 06:34 PM
"The public APN (myMTN) is blocked for VPN's and has always been so. If it was possible to connect to a vpn via GPRS,
Wasn't myMTN mostly used for their WAP pages? Is it also not working with the APN (internet)?
ScrnScrm
19-05-2005, 07:00 PM
yip. internet apn doesnt work either. :(
Are there any technical difference between the 2 APN's? (internet and myMTN)
I think i've read somewhere on this forum they are the same.
asmith
19-05-2005, 10:25 PM
When you connect to the standard APNs (internet or mymtn) you get assigned a 172... ip address.
These can not be routed directly on the internet and are thus translated (NATed) into real address, with many folks in fact sharing a single real IP. Many VPN protocols do not work with NAT and it is not actualy a case of them being blocked, they simply do not work because that NAT confuses them.
Of course on Vodacom 1 call to their helpdesk gets the internetvpn APN enabled free of charge and gives you a real live routed IP address, so there is a good reason to use Vodacom. Lets hope MTN wakes up. Besides the cost, its just too much effort to get the run arround at MTN to find the right persons to get it enabled for you.
In fact I am generally amazed that cell companies who are meant to be so technicaly advanced do not make more self service functionality available via the web. Why does one need to phone to have things enabled or buy data packages etc. Offering it via the web would save them call center time and save us time holding and getting passed from pillar to post.
UNBELIEVABLE!!
After being down for more than a week, this morning my VPN works!
I guess somebody at MTN actually listened. Now let's see how long this lasts.
ScrnScrm
20-05-2005, 01:18 PM
I am back up and running as well....
MTNBroadband
20-05-2005, 03:13 PM
I asked them to look into it this morning.
Our first choice for corporate access is our product called Corporate Mobility. The corporate contacts their ISP and we set up a VPN service from our side.
http://www.mtn.co.za/?pid=13832
The benefits are security, flexibility, management, support, reporting and others.
One of the recurring problems with VPN-dialup is that many corporate links are saturated during the day by internal usage and this degrades performance problems. I was personally involved in a case 3 years ago where the customer complained his 'GPRS was timing out'. When we got the usage logs from the ISPs we saw that the timeout was because of heavy internal usage. With Corporate Mobility we contractually insist that the ISP manage the bandwidth between ourselves and the corporate premises. These are a number of lessons we have learned over the years.
MTNBroadband
20-05-2005, 03:22 PM
Are there any technical difference between the 2 APN's? (internet and myMTN)
I think i've read somewhere on this forum they are the same.
These should be the same. Having the Internet APN made sense in the early days and simplified start-up initially, but having MyMTN is more consistent with our longer term strategy which will become evident over time.
Hi MTNBB
Thanks for your response to this thread. Your presence and helpful attitude on this forum is greatly appreciated.
A couple of points:
1. It is now 17h00 on Friday, and my vpn is down AGAIN via GPRS. On a GSM connection the VPN still works.
2. What is MTN's position regarding the VPN's? Are they allowed or not?
3. Corporate mobility cost's how much? Compared to Vodacom's free "internetvpn" APN.
4. Are there any plans to fix the vpn problem permanantly or is the current service the best we can expect?
5. I would very much like to see any and all logs relating to my problem. A simple trace route would probably help the most. Unfortunately MTN's helpdesk are refusing my calls for technical assistance, wanting rather to resolve this via email. If you want to be an ISP, then act like an ISP. (with decent and accessible technical support.)
6. Untill my VPN works, I'll be using Vodacom.
Thanks again
Retnox
20-05-2005, 10:22 PM
Hi everybody
I started a thread on this topic last week, but it seemed to have disappeared :(
I recall another such post a couple of weeks ago with the same issue. If there is a solution similar to internetvpn as provided by vodacom I would appreciate it.
BloemGuy
21-05-2005, 07:55 PM
These should be the same. Having the Internet APN made sense in the early days and simplified start-up initially, but having MyMTN is more consistent with our longer term strategy which will become evident over time.
:) Would have thought it would rather become something like a Yello! APN
MTNBB, any response to my queries yet?
johandutoit2000
25-05-2005, 01:30 PM
MTNBB, any response to my queries yet?
Any luck yet?
No, I'm being ignored. :confused:
MTN083
30-05-2005, 10:41 AM
Hi,
VPN service is allowed on the MTN GPRS service, but there is a problem with NAT as pointed out by one of the previous users.
MTN is working on a permanent resolution and hopefully soon.
Regards,
Update:
My VPN connection has been working since Thursday/Friday. No connection problems all weekend!
Sometimes downloading stops completely (still connected), only to resume by itself a minute or 2 later. Irritating, but not 2 bad.
Will we be seeing a solution similar to Vodacom's "internetvpn" APN?
johandutoit2000
30-05-2005, 01:12 PM
Update:
My VPN connection has been working since Thursday/Friday. No connection problems all weekend!
Sometimes downloading stops completely (still connected), only to resume by itself a minute or 2 later. Irritating, but not 2 bad.
Will we be seeing a solution similar to Vodacom's "internetvpn" APN?
What is the name of the VPN enabled APN to use? Must all the other settings be the same?
Johan, if your interested in the Vodacom "internetvpn" APN, check out their forum on this site.
In short, from Vodacom3g himself: " If you have a situation where the NATed IP on your system won't work with your application, typically when using a VPN client on your laptop, you need to switch to a different APN.
Please call 082 155 and ask to switch you over to the 'internetvpn' APN, from your current 'internet' APN.
You then need to edit your dashboard profile and change the 'internet' APN to the 'internetvpn' APN."
Hopefully MTN brings out a similar "dedicated" APN solution.
MTN083
30-05-2005, 07:01 PM
hi,
Have you checked to see what the difference is to the IP allocated to you when using VC's "internetvpn" as appose to just using internet apn?
Most likely, when using "internetvpn", they are allocating you a public IP that doesnt need to be translated or it doesnt pass via a firewall. If so, MTN has a something similar but still using the internet apn. Not sure if this is the correct place to share the information though. :rolleyes:
asmith
30-05-2005, 09:26 PM
Ok MTN083, sounds like there may be a username for the internet APN thats gets us a public IP??? Please share that with us all!
johandutoit2000
31-05-2005, 08:47 AM
Johan, if your interested in the Vodacom "internetvpn" APN, check out their forum on this site.
In short, from Vodacom3g himself: " If you have a situation where the NATed IP on your system won't work with your application, typically when using a VPN client on your laptop, you need to switch to a different APN.
Please call 082 155 and ask to switch you over to the 'internetvpn' APN, from your current 'internet' APN.
You then need to edit your dashboard profile and change the 'internet' APN to the 'internetvpn' APN."
Hopefully MTN brings out a similar "dedicated" APN solution.
I am not interested in using Vodacom. Please give me the VPN enabled APN to use.
MTN083
31-05-2005, 02:36 PM
There is no specific APN for VPN, the internet APN and mymtn APN are both capable of doing PPTP VPN's to private offices. I believe Cisco VPN clients could be experiencing problems but I havent tested it.
The problem at the moment is a techincal one and MTN is addressing problem.
Creating a separate APN for VPN's is a work around and not a resolution - i am hoping :)
Will keep you posted.
MTNBroadband
31-05-2005, 06:35 PM
The service itself is working (on PPTP) but the problem has been on the firewall (when settings are changed, which is frequently the case for security reasons) this is sometimes closed. There are generally errors on the side of being conservative.
Our main approach at the moment is to have a single apn (namely mymtn) for all consumer users. This enables a roadmap into the future when services are added. The 'internet' apn has identical functionality but that is not our main thrust as the interpretation of that in the specifications was ambiguous whereas mymtn is clear. If all consumers have a single apn it is easier to provide service support on different units.
For corporate usage we place a heavy emphasis on Corporate Mobility. That is a partnership with corporate ISPs which allows more tailored support and service management and more flexibility to staff needs. One common problem with VPN'ing for instance is that the leased line back to the corporate is saturated, whereas with Corporate Mobility we insist this utilisation is managed. I can assure you this service is extremely popular and should be the first option for teams of serious mobile workers.
In the meantime we will strive to ensure the VPN service reaches the high level of service we strive for with data in general.
asmith
31-05-2005, 09:13 PM
My understanding (and some testing) indicates that in general its not possible to run a PPTP or a L2TP VPN (as supported in standard Windows XP) from behind NAT. Thus unless MTN's APN starts dishing out real IPs I do not see this problem going away
MTNBroadband
31-05-2005, 09:41 PM
My understanding (and some testing) indicates that in general its not possible to run a PPTP or a L2TP VPN (as supported in standard Windows XP) from behind NAT. Thus unless MTN's APN starts dishing out real IPs I do not see this problem going away
I agree this wasn't possible before which is why the call centre was given the information it did not work. However now there is a fix for pp2p implemented on the latest version of pix (see www.cisco.com) :)
ScrnScrm
01-06-2005, 12:52 AM
You can get a legal IP on the internet APN if you know how... But I digress.
You can use PPTP or L2TP in conjunction with NAT - we do it all the time from the office at the company I work for. As far as I can see, this problem seems to be now sorted on the internet and mymtn APNs.
asmith
01-06-2005, 02:27 PM
What you running on the server end ScrnScrm? It has never worked for me and I have tried several VPN servers in different locations and both L2TP and PPTP.
Yet with Vodacom InternetVPN APN works every time.
ScrnScrm
01-06-2005, 04:52 PM
Cisco PIX VPN Concentrator...
Also have MS VPN server on the DMZ, and dont have any problems with it either.
If you want to try your VPN connection with a legal IP, PM MTNBB and see if he will help with the instructions on how to get a legal IP. Unfortunately, I agreed not to disclose the method...
MTNBroadband
01-06-2005, 06:49 PM
We do have a test facility with real ip's but we have to keep it low profile because if it gets swamped we have to shut it down. Managed to keep it low profile for 4 years now. I'll take a risk and say PM me if you want to try this. Also doesn't have much international bandwidth allocated
Hi all
My VPN is down again since yesterday (Thursday, 19h30 approx.)
Same old story: Unable to connect to a Mweb vpn via MTN's gprs. The vpn still works using a normal GSM dial-up.
MTNBB, firewall again?
Anybody else having problems?
Let's see how far I get with the helpdesk this time.
And it works again!
1 call to the correct person and 5 miutes later the VPN works. Technical support at MTN is great as long as you don't deal with the helpdesk / customer support.
Thanks MTN
MTN083
03-06-2005, 01:31 PM
thanks GPS - We must have spoken earlier ;)
johandutoit2000
03-06-2005, 03:47 PM
And it works again!
1 call to the correct person and 5 miutes later the VPN works. Technical support at MTN is great as long as you don't deal with the helpdesk / customer support.
Thanks MTN
GPS,
Maybe you could let me know what VPN client\server software you are using? Is there any funny port setups? I had this software running perfectly on my Telkom dialup, but it has never worked through MTN ISP. Do you perhaps know what settings should typically change during this migration from Telkom to MTN?
Thanks in advance.
MTNBroadband
03-06-2005, 04:43 PM
Hi J
You'll get a call or e-mail from our expert :)
Helpless desks are everywhere and it is by chance that I found this site.
I have a IMate Pocket PC and in very rare instances does the VPN over GPRS works... It seems to work in certain physical locations and also mostly off-peak.
Does anyone know of a way to get it working??
Please I beg you!!!
ScrnScrm
13-09-2005, 09:06 PM
more details please Duan... What backend VPN Server are you using? What APN are you using?
Ok.. Details follows:
I have setup both my PDA and Laptop to connect to the Internet APN and the connection works fine for normal web browsing but it will not allow me to connect to our office VPN.
We have a Windows 2003 server at the office and I am able to create a VPN connection succesfully via Iburst and several other connection services, but the moment I try that on GPRS I receive an error stating that I should check my password / username. The weird part is that in very rare instances it does connect and download my email.
And no there is nothing wrong with the setup at the office. It works fine over any connection except GPRS from MTN.
I have tried nearly everything and it seems that there may be something at MTN's side that blocks VPN access.
Any ideas?
ScrnScrm
14-09-2005, 09:13 PM
@duan : PM MTNBB and ask him how to gain access to the APN that dishes out legal IP addresses...
the apn should mtn.co.za....