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What is it about the workplace network that does not allow me to connect to a VPN? Is it because of the firewall?

How can this be achieved?

To look at a customer's environment I have been given a VPN access to their network. However, it seems I cannot connect to this VPN when I am at my workplace. I can connect to it from my home network. Though this is the first time I am asking, I understand this is a well-known phenomenon.

Is it likely that my office network has a firewall that does not allow connecting to VPN, blocking outbound traffic on whatever port the VPN uses? Are there any established solutions for this sort of connectivity between two different networks?

Answering some questions in comments:

  • I am trying to connect out of my workplace network, i.e. when I am connected to my office network I want to connect to a customer's VPN

  • In this case I am using Connectivity VPN Client, which I believe is Cisco VPN but I believe the same "issue" (if it can be called that; probably there is a good reason this is not allowed) with other VPN products as well.

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    Because you are providing zero info on the environment. We don't know if you are a user that should be asking your IT department, or if you are the IT department that is having trouble setting up a VPN.
    – DanBig
    Aug 22, 2012 at 18:52
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    I wont vote to close to give you a minute to re-word if necessary.
    – DanBig
    Aug 22, 2012 at 18:52
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    You're trying to VPN out of the workplace network, or into it? If the latter, from where? What type of VPN solution and technology?
    – Kyle Smith
    Aug 22, 2012 at 18:55
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    Unfortunately this question is impossibly vague. Asking about "a workplace network" with no details gives us less than nothing to work with. Is there anyway you can provide us with more information?
    – Univ426
    Aug 22, 2012 at 18:56
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    Even with rewording, there's still not enough here. I would recommend you take a look at our FAQ's. If you have in depth debugging information and are trying to troubleshoot a VPN issue on a network you manage, this is definitely the place. If you simply can't connect to something, it's a question for your IT department
    – Univ426
    Aug 22, 2012 at 19:04

1 Answer 1

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Yes, it sounds like you have a firewall restricting the outbound traffic required to establish a VPN with your customer's network. You should work with your IT department to either allow this traffic or provide a workaround solution.

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    Can you suggest any well-known solution? Can you please explain why this is generally not allowed? Aug 22, 2012 at 19:05
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    It is generally not allowed because it could very well create a bridge between two private networks, one of which your IT department has absolutely no control of.
    – squillman
    Aug 22, 2012 at 19:06
  • But when I am connected to VPN from home I cannot access other computers in the home network so I am not sure how the bridge is different when using the same laptop inside office network. I guess I don't understand much of the security stuff. Thanks for the help. Aug 22, 2012 at 19:14

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