Teamviewer blocked by my University

Bornival
Bornival Posts: 9
in General questions

Hi,

Since 8 December, my University has decided to block Teamviewer.  I cannot log-in anymore from my work computer to access my home computer.  If I try to log via the web, I got an error message when acessing the login page.  This occurs ONLY when I'm in the network of my University (130.104.xxx.yyy) and NOT when the same machine (a laptop) is at home (other network).  So, it is network-related and not machine-related.  I guess the University simply blocks the acess to the Teamviewer servers.  

The University says that my use of Teamviewer without paid license is illegal.  However, I only use Teamviewer for personal purposes (accessing my home computer).  Since I started using it (about one year ago), I never had any pop-up telling me that my use was not personal.

Can you help me in convincing my University that using the free license of Teamviewer to access my home computer (not the reverse) is allowed so that they can unblock and restore the service ?

Or, is there a work-around that I could use ?

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Answers

  • sysm
    sysm Posts: 12

    Hi,

    try using TeamViewer VPN Connection to get access to you home network. If you´re using windows os, I would give this a try.

    https://community.teamviewer.com/t5/Knowledge-Base/About-TeamViewer-VPN/ta-p/6354#toc-hId-678506651

     

     

  • Bornival
    Bornival Posts: 9

    Dear Syms,

    Thank you for your fast and useful reply. 

    I see that "For the VPN to work, a VPN driver must be installed on both sides and can either be started during a remote control connection or on its own from within the TeamViewer settings."

    Questions:

    1. Where do I get this driver from ?  I assume it is a specific driver available from Teamviever, NOT the driver of my current VPN client (Microsoft).  I checked the download page on the Teamviwer web site but could not find it.

    2. While starting the VPN driver on my work computer is not a problem (I can do this when I need to access my home computer), tehre might be a problem with my home computer.  Will I need to have the driver started also on my home computer before I can make a connection?  This may be problematic because (i) it'll mean that I'll need not to forget doing that before leaving home and (ii) that it will reamain on until I come back.

    Regards,

  • sysm
    sysm Posts: 12

    Hi,

    in TeamViewer [options[ / [advanced] you can choose button "install VPN driver".

    You just need to setup the driver on both sides. Than right click on TV contact in contact list, choose "VPN".

    Regards

     

  • Bornival
    Bornival Posts: 9

    Once again, thank you for your fast reply.  Here is where I'am:

    1. I installed the VPN driver on my home computer as per your instructions.  This was sucessful but I do not see a VPN button on my Teamviewer windows.  Whre should I look ?

    2. As my work computer is in my work place, I'll only install the VPN driver there on Monday.  Whne this is done, how shall I connect with my home computer, knowing that (i) my work computer has access to Internet (but not to the Teamviewer login web site); (ii) I know the IP adresses of both computers.  You mentionned  "right click on TV contact in contact list, choose "VPN".", but I do not see where to do this. Maybe, I'll need to do this from my work computer after I have installed the VPN driver ...

    Regrads,

     

  • sysm
    sysm Posts: 12

    Hi,
    1.) after new installation you have to choose the "VPN" button as you can see. This is TV12 german (sorry :-) ). Then go put in the ID and connect to remote client as you always did. 
    tv_vpn.png

    You mentionned  "right click on TV contact in contact list, choose "VPN".", but I do not see where to do this. Maybe, I'll need to do this from my work computer after I have installed the VPN driver ...

    or if you working with contact list, right click on contact (I told you how to, but with older TV version):

    tv_vpn4.png

    In the authentifcation pop-up choose from the third drop-down box -> Full VPN access.

    tv_vpn2.png

    After that, you will get success message:

    tv_vpn3.png

    Hope this will work through your university firewall.

  • Bornival
    Bornival Posts: 9

    Dear Sysm,

    Thank you for the screen shots.  Very useful. I can see where I missed the VPN button...  Sorry.

    I guess the rest of the story must be made from my work computer since, due to the blocking of the University, I could not login before I left on Friday and it presently appears greyed on my home computer.  When right clicking my work computer in the contact list, the VPN option does not appear (as I have not yet installed the VPN on it). 

    So, on Monday (or Tuesday), I'll (i) leave my home computer on (and take note its Teamviewer ID no., and corresponding access password, and its IP address); (ii) install the VPN on my work computer, and then (iii) try to connect to my home computer as you instructed me.

    Will I need to do anything else on my work computer ? Also, do I need to have set anyting more or know more than the Teamviewer ID no./password combination and current IP address of my home computer (remember, I cannot login to Teamviewer from my work computer due to the University blocking and my home computer will, therefore, not appear on the contact list on my work computer) ?

    I hope it will work and that I'll be able to tak you ro your kind help.

    Cheers.

  • sysm
    sysm Posts: 12

    Will I need to do anything else on my work computer ? Also, do I need to have set anyting more or know more than the Teamviewer ID no./password combination and current IP address of my home computer (remember, I cannot login to Teamviewer from my work computer due to the University blocking and my home computer will, therefore, not appear on the contact list on my work computer) ?

    No. I don't think so.

    If your IT administrator blocks not only the TeamViewer port TCP 5938 (i.e. he sets application filter rule for TeamViewer on firewall for port TCP 443) the connection to your desktop will not be possible.

  • Bornival
    Bornival Posts: 9

    Hi,

    I'm able now to report about what looks as bizarre and very partial success... Since I do not understand the underlying reasons, I describe what I observed and you could help to see if there is any reason to all that... Sorry for being long...

    1. Quite surprisingly, letting my work computer connected to the Internet but idle for the week-end made (i) that I could see it from my home computer this Tuesday morning and (ii) that I was able to connect with it using both the normal Teamviewer "remote control using password" and the VPN !!! So, I though that my University had unblocked the connection...

     2. BUT when arriving at my workplace, and although the Teamviewer tray icon had turned green, I could Not connect to my home computer and all I got was a message “unknown error”…

    3. I decided to install the VPN and was successful BUT this did not help as (i) the VPN button never appeared, and (ii) all attempts of connection to my home computer failed.

     NOW…

     4. I have the possibility to connect to a real, independent VPN service that gives me an IP address different from that of the University and let me pass through the firewall of the University. I activated it … AND immediately I was able to make both normal and Teamviewer VPN connections from my work computer to my home computer. But as soon as I disconnected from this real, independent VPN service (and was again with an IP address of and within the firewall of the University), all connections became impossible… and gave rise to a “Unknown error”…

     So, here I’m at this time:

    1. a) I can connect from my home computer to the work computer AFTER I wait for several hours (time needed for the work computer to find its way to the Teamviewer server ???) until my work computer appears on the Teamviewer window ;
    2. b) conversely, my work computer can never connect to my home computer …
    3. c) the situation returns to normal if my work computer is connected to internet through my real, independent VPN service and, so, bypasses the University firewall…

    Does this make any sense to you and what would you recommend me to do (beyond using this real, independent VPN service each time I need to connect from my work computer to my home computer) ?   

  • Bornival
    Bornival Posts: 9

    Hi,

    I had a long discussion with my University IT service and they maitain their decision to block Teamviewer traffic especially from the free version of Teamviewer, mostly for security reasons (which ones is not said ...).

    Thus, here is where I'm:

    1. Due to the blocking of the University, Teamviewer in my work computer shows a red signal and I cannot login if I try to do so after a reboot or a log-off/log-on of Windows... At the same time, this work computer appears greyed when viewed from my home computer.  Thus no connection is possible...

    2. However, after about 20 hours, Teamviewer in my work computer spontaneously turns green and log me in automatically.  As from this point, the work computer has become visible from Teamviewer in my home computer and I can connect t it from my home computer (and take command, transfer files, and so on...).  BUT my work computer is still unable to connect to my hoome computer ("unknown error")...  

    Can this help you and/or the Teamviewer engineers to devise a work around so as to circumvent the blocking of the University (such as to use alternate ports) ?  I assume this information could be useful to others experiencing similar porblems... 

     

  • sysm
    sysm Posts: 12
    However, after about 20 hours, Teamviewer in my work computer spontaneously turns green and log me in automatically.  As from this point, the work computer has become visible from Teamviewer in my home computer and I can connect t it from my home computer (and take command, transfer files, and so on...).  BUT my work computer is still unable to connect to my hoome computer ("unknown error")...  

    Can this help you and/or the Teamviewer engineers to devise a work around so as to circumvent the blocking of the University (such as to use alternate ports) ?  I assume this information could be useful to others experiencing similar porblems... 

     

    Hi,
    sorry, I was very busy.

    If the default TeamViewer ports are blocked, referring to this document , TV will use TCP 443. BUT - if your University IT service do block that traffic with SPI/application firewall there will be now way through without restrictions/problems you did describe. For now, I don´t know a legal workaround.

    Ask your University IT service if you are allowed to use VPN connection (open vpn, easy vpn, etc) to connect to your home pc. Try to find out which solutions they are using for VPN. If allowed, you can use Remote Desktop or VCN through VPN.

    Greetings

  • Bornival
    Bornival Posts: 9

    Thank you.

    As mentionned earlier, using  a VPN (to another University in which I also work) solves the problem.  I'll work with that hoping that TV will find another solution (but it might be an endless cat and mouse play ...).  I still wonder why I have these surprizing "phenomenons" (delay of about 20 h before TV at my work place eventually turns green and accept connections from my home computer whil being still unable to intiate connections to my home computer).

    Cheers,

  • sysm
    sysm Posts: 12

    Hi,

    try to block default outbound TCP and UDP connections (in Windows Firewall) over port 5938.

    Wait until TV connects over SSL Port 443.

    Cheers

  • Bornival
    Bornival Posts: 9

    Thnak you again for the reply.

    Unfortunately, it idid not help.  So,

    1. I continue having this bizarre situation where TeamViewer on my work computer takes about 20h to become green, at which point I can connect to it from my home computer but not the reverse...

    2. I can connect from my work computer to my home computer if putting my work computer under VPN to another University (thus tunelling through my University firewall and avoiding their blocking).

    I can live with that but will (i) explore other Remote Desktop Softwares that may not be blocked; (ii) FTP servers on both sides to allow file transfer (ports 21 and 22 seem not blocked). 

    Thank you again !

    PS Is there a channel to communicate with the TeamViewer technical team to explore other means of restoring TeamViewer connectivity ?  What the IT techies of my University do may indeed be also made by IT guys from other institutions and companies, creating a major problem for Teamviewer... Of interest, the blocking system used by my University must be quite tricky because it does not only block the TeamViewer  progarmme (application) but ALSO the web sites of TeamViewer from where you can login (https://login.teamviewer.com) and blocks even the download of TeamViewer it-self (https://download.teamviewer.com/download/TeamViewer_Setup.exe).... 

     

     

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