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Knowledge document #339

IP communication over a VPN client connection (e.g. FRITZ!VPN) not possible

Although a computer (for example with FRITZ!VPN or macOS) establishes a VPN connection to the remote FRITZ!Box, it is not possible to access shared files and printers or other services in the remote network with the computer. Devices in the remote network do not respond to pings.

Simply proceed as described below. After each measure, check whether the problem is solved.

Note:All instructions on configuration and settings given in this guide refer to the latest FRITZ!OS for the FRITZ!Box.

1 Adjusting the network settings

VPN communication is not reliable if an IP address from the FRITZ!Box's IP network is assigned to your computer's LAN or wireless network adapter. VPN communication may even be disrupted if the network adapter is not used at all.

Example:
If the FRITZ!Box uses the IP address 192.168.178.1 (subnet mask 255.255.255.0), no network adapters may be assigned an address from the 192.168.178.xxx range.

Disable all network adapters with an IP address from the FRITZ!Box's IP network:

Windows 10

  1. Click (Start) and then (Settings) in the Windows task bar.
  2. Click "Network & Internet" in the "Settings" menu.
  3. Click "Change adapter options" in the section "Change your networking settings".
  4. Right-click the respective network connection and select "Disable" from the context menu.

Windows 8

  1. Press the keyboard shortcut Windows key + X and select "Control Panel" from the context menu.
  2. Select "Category" from the drop-down list "View by:" on the top right ().
  3. Click "Network and Internet" and then "Network and Sharing Center".
  4. Click "Change adapter settings".
  5. Right-click the respective network connection and select "Disable" from the context menu.

Windows 7

  1. In Windows, click "Start" and then "Control Panel".
  2. Select "Category" from the drop-down list "View by:" on the top right ().
  3. Click "Network and Internet" and then "Network and Sharing Center".
  4. Click "Change adapter settings".
  5. Right-click the respective network connection and select "Disable" from the context menu.

macOS

  1. Open the Finder and click "Applications".
  2. Click "System Preferences" and "Network".
  3. On the left side, select the respective network adapter.
  4. Click the gear symbol next to the plus and minus (+/-) symbols and select "Make Service Inactive".
  5. Click "Apply" to save the settings.

2 Restarting the FRITZ!Box

You may be temporarily unable to correctly establish the VPN connection due to an error in the FRITZ!Box or its internet connection. Therefore, restart the FRITZ!Box so that it reinitializes the firewall and re-establishes the internet connection:

  1. Click "System" in the FRITZ!Box user interface.
  2. Click "Backup" in the "System" menu.
  3. Click on the "Restart" tab.
  4. Click the "Restart" button.

3 Adjusting the VPN settings

If you establish the VPN connection with the FRITZ!VPN software, data cannot be exchanged over the VPN connection if incorrect or unsuitable IP settings were entered when generating the VPN settings. For example, this is the case if:

  • the FRITZ!Box's IP address (xxx.xxx.xxx.1) was entered as the "destination network" in FRITZ!VPN instead of its IP network (xxx.xxx.xxx.0),
  • the "IP address of the user in the FRITZ!Box network" lies in the DHCP range of the FRITZ!Box or is already being used for another VPN connection (for example for a smartphone).

To correct errors in the VPN settings, reconfigure the connection:

  1. Delete the VPN connection in the Configure FRITZ!Box VPN Connection software.
  2. Delete the VPN connection in the FRITZ!VPN software and in the FRITZ!Box.
  3. Reconfigure the VPN connection between FRITZ!VPN and the FRITZ!Box.
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