Question : VPN stopped working: Could change in W2K Domain or DC be the culprit?

I've got a group of computers that have "lost" the ability to log onto databases that are accessible via a VPN.

We're using a Cisco 1700 for the VPN which connects to the county.  For some unknown reason(s), today, several computers (called the Public Access Computers, or PACs) stopped being able to log onto the county databases.  These computers are configured so when they boot they start Internet Explorer on a web page with links to 4 databases.  When I click on the link to the databases, it returns "Page not available".

If I reboot the computer and log on as myself, I can get out to the Internet (e.g., Yahoo!), but I still can't log onto the database.  I've contacted the county and they say everything is OK at their end.  I've rebooted our computers (but not our router).  That didn't make any difference.

The staff computers at the library can log onto the county databases through the VPN.

One thing I've done recently, although not within the last couple of days, is to bring a second domain controller online and new domain online.  Our old domain controller was Windows NT 4, and the new one is Windows 2000.  Some of our computers are still pointing at the old DC and old domain, and some at the new domain and new DC.  The computers having the problem belong to the new DC.  It's possible I don't have the reverse DNS setup properly on these new computers.  I havent' touched the staff computers at all, they can log onto the county databases and they belong to the old domain.

One of the things I'm trying to find out is whether I should focus the domain/DC issue or whether it is a red herring and can't possible be causing the problem.

Thanks!

Seth

Answer : VPN stopped working: Could change in W2K Domain or DC be the culprit?

sciwriter,

It could be a good idea to leave the authentication method on the router and than configure in conjuntion the clients to work here the same way rather than configuring VPN on the servers end... but I dont know whether this method of VPN connectivity architecture is already in use (and according to the situation presented by the author - it is not likely) and what resources will it demand by the author to initiate such configuration... what configuration policy or method should the author commit to an end user... How many end users it has to enforce... what is the speed the end users are connecting internal networks... and forth... It has to take in consideration a lot of things to get network connection working properly...
Based on the scenario presented here we dont have enough data to check things like that. All we have to do is to wait for a feedback from the author and then calculate our next steps

:)

Cyber