Mac OSX – Testing Packet Fragmentation Over VPN
Jun15

Mac OSX – Testing Packet Fragmentation Over VPN

KB ID 0001204  Problem Many moons ago I wrote a post about a problem where I had no RDP over a VPN connection, and all the hoops I jumped though to troubleshoot and fix the problem. Today I had a similar problem, I was connected to a client via Cisco AnyConnect, and I had hair-pinned that traffic, from the client site, over an IPSEC VPN to their servers in the Data Center. Pings were successful, but not RDP.  To be honest this affects...

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VMware VI Client Error ‘Call “ServiceInstance.RetrieveContent” for object “ServiceInstance” on Server “IP-Address” failed’
Nov17

VMware VI Client Error ‘Call “ServiceInstance.RetrieveContent” for object “ServiceInstance” on Server “IP-Address” failed’

KB ID 0000870  Problem This is a pretty generic error. It basically means “I cant connect to what you are asking me to connect to, on TCP Port 443 (https)”. Solution Internet searching for this error is very frustrating, everyone who was posting this error was seeing it because, instead of putting the IP address or name in the box (that actually tells you to put in the IP address or name (see image above)). If you put in...

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Cannot Remote Desktop over VPN connection
Nov17

Cannot Remote Desktop over VPN connection

KB ID 0000845  Problem This one had me well and truly stumped! The client has two sites and from their remote site they could not open a remote Desktop connection to a server at the main site. RDP Stuck at Securing remote connection. At first, because the client had SBS at their main site I assumed this was the problem, but sadly it was not. Solution The following process goes through the steps taken to identify and rectify the...

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Cisco Simple GRE Tunnels (With IPSEC)

KB ID 0000951 Problem I’ve spent years setting up VPN tunnels between firewalls. The only time I’ve ever dealt with GRE is for letting VPN client software though firewalls. GRE’s job is to ‘encapsulate’ other protocols and transport those protocols inside a virtual point to point link. Below is the topology, I’m going to use. The tunnel will run form Router R1 to Router R3, once complete I should be...

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Cisco ASA 5500 – Configuring PPPoE
Nov17

Cisco ASA 5500 – Configuring PPPoE

KB ID 0000831  Problem Until very recently I’d never had to configure PPPoE. Most of my clients in that sort of connection speed range have ADSL with a router provided by their ISP. A Router that connects via PPPoA usually. Here in the UK the main ISP’s (BT and Virgin) are busy rolling out FTTC connections that terminate with a ‘modem’ that presents an RJ45 socket. So without the need for a router, you can get...

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