Please help! I'm desperate!

I have a new laptop running MS Vista Ultimate. I want to use a remote
access VPN to connect to a Netgear VPN router (model DGFV338) using
the Microsoft VPN Client.

The error I get on the laptop when the connection fails is:

'Error 789: The L2TP connection attempt failed because the security
layer encountered a processing error during initial negotiation with
the remote computer'.

The VPN log on the router just repeats this error:

"Could not find configuration for (my routers external IP address)
[500]"

I also have another laptop running Windows XP with Netgear ProSafe VPN
Client and connecting to the same Netgear router works perfectly. I'm
using a pre-shared key.

Any help would be greatly appreciated!

Rafael <rafael_romano299@hotmail.com> writes:
>Please help! I'm desperate!

Maybe you couldn't get a cohesive answer out of NetGear support?

>I have a new laptop running MS Vista Ultimate. I want to use a remote
>access VPN to connect to a Netgear VPN router (model DGFV338) using
>the Microsoft VPN Client.

>'Error 789: The L2TP connection attempt failed because the security
....


Downloading the documentation for this "firewall", I find no mention
in the docs that it can function at a L2TP server for the Microsoft
client to connect to it. Just that it can pass-through L2TP if so
enabled to something else. 

So, looks like you're trying to use two totally different protocols on
either end that are incompatible. 


>The VPN log on the router just repeats this error:

>"Could not find configuration for (my routers external IP address)
>[500]"

>I also have another laptop running Windows XP with Netgear ProSafe VPN
>Client and connecting to the same Netgear router works perfectly. I'm
>using a pre-shared key.


And here you are using the same two protocols on either end to make a
working VPN tunnel. 

Your assumption that Microsoft VPN client does the same thing is
faulty, it doesn't. The Netgear device also doesn't seem to support
the protocols that the Microsoft VPN client will use either. 

Ask NetGear for their VPN client that works on your Vista Ultimate laptop? 

Thank you for your response.

I have been in touch with Netgear support but there responses are
somewhat slow.

They say that the router will work with the Microsoft VPN Client so it
must be my config.

The Netgear ProSafe VPN Client will not work with 64 bit Vista
Ultimate.

Rafael <rafael_romano299@hotmail.com> writes:
>Thank you for your response.

>I have been in touch with Netgear support but there responses are
>somewhat slow.

>They say that the router will work with the Microsoft VPN Client so it
>must be my config.


Their online docs don't describe how to set it up, thats all I can
base it on, but if they support it, its a new & different config than
your existing one. 

"VPN" means a great many things. Its not just one thing and VPN
definitively describes it. 

>The Netgear ProSafe VPN Client will not work with 64 bit Vista
>Ultimate.

Ah, seems to be a problem for alot of people.

Rafael wrote:
> Thank you for your response.
>=20
> I have been in touch with Netgear support but there responses are
> somewhat slow.
>=20
> They say that the router will work with the Microsoft VPN Client so it
> must be my config.
>=20
> The Netgear ProSafe VPN Client will not work with 64 bit Vista
> Ultimate.

The netgear router does not work with the Microsoft VPN client.  The=20
router only supports IPSec, not L2TP.

There is IPSec support in Windows but it only works when you have a=20
static IP on both sides of the connection which is not likely for a=20
laptop user.

You need an IPSec client from a third party.  You may still have trouble =

figuring out the settings if you are not experienced with setting up=20
IPSec VPN connections.
eg:
http://www.thegreenbow.com/vpn_faq.html#VPN1
Configuration guide for a similar model of Negear firewall:
http://www.thegreenbow.com/doc/tgbvpn_cg_DG834G.pdf

Price is 58=80

Netgear support doesn't seem to know their own product in your case.

Thanks again for your responses.

I have given up with the Microsoft VPN Client.  Netgear Support were
adamant it should work but I got precisely nowhere with their help.
I've used the VPN Client product from Green Bow as suggested above.

Works perfectly. Thanks for your help.