VNC and AOL

[guest]

Cannot connect to 2k machine on network when host is connected to AOL 9.0 Broadband through a TCPIP connection. Looking at the VNC tray, there are two ip addresses, the local and the I'm guessing AOL assigned address second. Strange thing is, if AOL is NOT running I can connect to it, and then run AOL remotely with no problem. But if I close the connection and try to re-connect - no luck. Have to close AOL before I can connect again.

[RobH]

I'm not sure how AOL handles the tcp/ip but I have been on customers who have a vpn and when I start up a reverse connect to one of my workstations it will not connect sometimes and say invalid protocol. If I disconnect from the vpn and have them start it up I connect fine.

Something with the way the tcp/ip is being used maybe.
Just a guess / comment.

[Guest]

Sometimes VPN connections (and, I presume, other types as well) pass tcp/ip settings down to client PCs (settings such as default gateway, DNS, et al) so at that point you are going through the VPN router for all or at least many tcp/ip connections. I bet that's what happens with the PC running AOL and that's why it can't connect -- the settings are restored to normal when the connection is closed as with some (maybe all) VPN connections.

Hope that helps,
Mike