Using OpenVPN with XP Mode in Windows 7

[andrewk65]

Hi All
Just wondered if anyone can help. I need to connect to a vpn for external access to a customers network. The software i need to use is running on a Laptop using windows XP Virtual mode from microsoft.
The customer originally set up the Openvpn software for me on the laptop. He did it in the windows 7 system which is the host system in this case. I can connect to the external network and pingh the required addresses fine within windows 7 enccvironment, When i open windows xp mode i cannot ping the same address from xp. I have tried configuring every kind of network card i can select in Windows virtual pc software but nothing seems to allow me to connect. Should i be loading the openvpn software onto the virtual xp machine, or is there a way to give the virtual xp machine access to the windows 7 connection that is working.

Any help would be appreciated, i have spent hours trying everything to no avail.

Thanks
Andrew

[maikcat]

you need to check how the networking part is implemented for xp virtual mode...

if win 7 use bridging for the xp you need lan-to-lan mode for openvpn
if win 7 use NAT ,it should work out of the box
if win 7 use host only mode then you cant simply access the vpn...

Michael.

[andrewk65]

Thanks for the quick reply. Unfortunately im a bit of a novice when it comes to networking. I am guessing win 7 uses bridging. i have been able to connect to wired and wireless networks from xp mode using the wired and wireless network cards which i added to The network settings in the windows virtual pc. Is there a way to check for sure which mode?

if it is bridging can you describe for a newbie how to set up
lan to lan mode for ooenvpn. If i set up lan to lan mode you think this should allow xpmode computer to get onto vpn that is currently working on win7 side of mc.

really appreciate you taking the time to answer- im totally stuck.

[maikcat]

to determine if your vm uses bridging for its ethernet
simply check what ip address it takes when its connected
on your lan,if it has one ip from your local range and you can
ping it from another pc then your host uses bridging mode,
if it takes a totally different ip address from the rest of your network
then its either NAT or host...

Michael.

[andrewk65]

Thanks Michael.
Im pretty sure its bridging. Found i had a third party anti virus software running on windows 7 side with firewall enabled. Closed this and wy xp mode software was able to connecr. Strange though i can still not ping the ip address from xpmode even though it now connects. Thanks for your reply, it allowed me to look closer at my settings and now appears ok.