Hello,

I've been looking for a (hopefully) easy to use, zero-configuration remote access option for my small business network. If I can get it running, NeoRouter could be just the ticket. Unfortunately, I'm having difficulties getting just the basics working (e.g. ping from remote computer to computer inside the office network).

I've installed NeoRouter Server (0.9.8.xx) on my Tomato firmware router at the office. I created the domain, ran the test on the Dashboard, and all works fine. I then installed the NeoRouter client on one of the computers (Vista 32-bit) inside the network. It logs in fine to the domain, etc.

Now, I go home, and install NewRouter client on my home computer (Windows 7 64-bit). It seems to install fine. I can log on to the NR domain and my computer list appears (containing only the one computer I setup at the office). The computer is shown online. However, I cannot do anything on the office computer from the home computer, including pinging it. Here is the layout:
[office computer (Vista32)]<-->[tomato router w/NR server]<-->Internet<-->[tomato router (home)]<-->[home PC (Windows7 64-bit)]

Any thoughts on where to start? I would think that if I could ping the office PC from the home PC, I could get the rest working. But, I don't have a clue how to start since I can't even ping the office PC, even though it look's like its all installed correctly. Maybe I don't understand how the software is supposed to work?

I sure would appreciate any help you can offer.

Thanks

Can you ping the vista from another computer in your office? By default, Vista may disable the icmp echo (ping), so please make sure it works without NeoRouter.

On your win7 x64, please type "ipconfig" to check if the NeoRouter virtual adapter has been assigned an IP address.

BTW, I didn't see anything wrong with your setup and I believe it should work.

Thanks,
KevinZ - NeoRouter team

Wow, that was a quick response. I really appreciate your help. I did run an ipconfig on the home PC (Windows 7) and it showed the NeoRouter adapter. It had an IP of 10.0.0.2 assigned. The office PC has an IP of 10.0.0.1 assigned.

I'll have to go into the office tomorrow to check the Vista computer to verify IMCP is enabled.

Thanks. I'll report back on my findings.

By way of providing additional diagnostic information, here is the output of the ipconfig command on the Windows 7 (home PC) computer. I don't know if the "media disconnected" states are a problem or not.

- Kevin T.

Windows IP Configuration


Ethernet adapter Local Area Connection:

Connection-specific DNS Suffix . :
Link-local IPv6 Address . . . . . : fe80::3c74:bff9:a074:14fd%11
IPv4 Address. . . . . . . . . . . : 192.168.1.148
Subnet Mask . . . . . . . . . . . : 255.255.255.0
Default Gateway . . . . . . . . . : 192.168.1.1

Ethernet adapter NeoRouter Connection:

Connection-specific DNS Suffix . :
Link-local IPv6 Address . . . . . : fe80::10f5:1c7a:be0a:b746%14
IPv4 Address. . . . . . . . . . . : 10.0.0.2
Subnet Mask . . . . . . . . . . . : 255.255.255.0
Default Gateway . . . . . . . . . :

Tunnel adapter isatap.{8722499F-DACC-4EB7-ACF1-6060FA59296A}:

Media State . . . . . . . . . . . : Media disconnected
Connection-specific DNS Suffix . :

Tunnel adapter Local Area Connection* 11:

Connection-specific DNS Suffix . :
IPv6 Address. . . . . . . . . . . : 2001:0:4137:9e50:2049:f39:b4a6:b5ca
Link-local IPv6 Address . . . . . : fe80::2049:f39:b4a6:b5ca%12
Default Gateway . . . . . . . . . : ::

Tunnel adapter isatap.{3DF90C6C-53E0-467B-B9ED-166C4BE3B259}:

Media State . . . . . . . . . . . : Media disconnected
Connection-specific DNS Suffix . :

That's fine. The "media disconnected" is not the problem.

Just make sure NeoRouter Connection is working. It looks good.

Thanks,
KevinZ - NeoRouter team

Hello Kevin,

OK I went in to the office and checked if the PC could be pinged internally. It could not. However, when I checked the Firewall rules, inbound ICMP WAS enabled. Hmmm.

I found the problem, which was that the main network type was set as "Public" on the computer and file sharing was turned off. I changed the settings, and the computer would then allow pings. After restarting it though, I could no longer ping it. Checking the settings, I found that the network sharing setting reverted back to off. I haven't figured that one out yet. But I fixed the setting again, and went home and tested. IT WORKED! Good job, thanks for your help.

I also installed the client on my office file server (running Ubuntu Linux), and that went fine and works as well.

Again, thanks for the good program. Now the test to see if I can get my users to install it at home and have it work.

Good news!

BTW, there is a known minor issue for Win7 x64 in the NeoRouter v0.9.8. It will set the NeoRouter Connection to "Work Network" automatically when it starts and it works in most cases, so that you can access the computer from outside. But sometimes (when network is not stable), Win7 may verify the network and change it back to the "Public Network", which may cause blocking the incoming packets.

We have fixed it in the next release and it will stay at "Work Network" all the time.

Stay tuned!

Thanks,
KevinZ - NeoRouter team

Hello again,

I think I am experiencing the issue you describe. Today, NeoRouter stopped working. The Home PC (Win7 x64) can no longer ping the Office PC. I verified that the office PC's sharing settings are correct, and that the PC can be pinged from within the office network.

I looked on the Home PC, and the NeoRouter network is set to Public. This is the problem, right? However, I can ping another PC with NeoRouter installed (a linux machine) inside the office LAN from this same Home PC.

I'm at a loss again. So far every time I have gone to use NeoRouter in a real-world, I-need-it-to-work-now situation, it has failed. I hope I can get a stable install where I can count on it to be working, before I attempt to deploy to users.

I've looked, but cannot figure out how to change the NeoRouter network type back to "worK" on the Home PC. Any ideas would be appreciated.

Thanks again,
Kevin T.

Update.

Rebooting the Home PC cured the problem for now. Don't know why, but I'll take it!