Can I VPN to two of my computers?

bazbsg · 2022-01-30T03:43:13+00:00

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I am away on vacation and want to VPN to my computers at home to do various things. I can connect (remote access) to two of my computers at the same time. I can VPN to one but when I try to VPN to the second, it gives me the IP address of the first connection. If I disconnect the first then the second connects correctly. Is this a shortcoming of Teamviewer VPN or am I doing something wrong?

I did read one related question where someone was trying to create a network of several computers. I am not doing that. I want to VPN to both computers but they do not need to talk to each other.

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bazbsg

Hi,

I just tried it again today and it worked as I would have expected and as I need.

But then the question becomes, why didn't it work the last few times I tried?

It's not that the first VPN was dropped when I connected the second VPN. It's that the second VPN was connected to the first computer that I VPN'd into. There were two VPN connections but both were to the IP address of the first.

So I guess the question has become, when this problem happens again, what test(s) can I run to help troubleshoot? Or what can I do to fix the problem if it happens again?

Thanks, bazbsg...

Esther

Hi @bazbsg

Long time no talk! I hope you´re doing well and enjoying your vacation 🌴

I am not a VPN expert so I needed to re-read our Knowledge Hub article again: TeamViewer VPN - TeamViewer Support

However, I know the TeamViewer VNP is not like your standard VPN, for example, Private Internet Access (PIA). Here is some info from the article:

TeamViewer VPN is a one-to-one connection between two computers. TeamViewer will use a TeamViewer connection (handled as a remote connection) to establish a VPN with IP-addresses which are added to the involved TeamViewer IDs.

Our service acts more like a VLAN as the machines are placed into a virtual private network so that the devices think they are in the same network. Whereas, PIA takes your traffic and forwards it from the country server that you are connected to.

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.

So my question would be: What are you trying to achieve with the VPN connection? Does a regular TeamViewer connection maybe resolve what you want?

Thanks, Esther

bazbsg

Hi Esther. Yes, it has been a long time and thanks for remembering me!!

I think I do need the VPN connection. I'm a stickler for backups and I have programs to take care of that automatically for me. Even when I'm away from home I like to send my backups to my home computers over the internet. The program wants to see the remote hard drives as network drives, which the VPN allows. This program first compares the folders and shows me which files need updating, then does the update. I could use the file transfer window to send the files one at a time but then I lose the ability for the backup program to check what needs updating. Then it's easy to miss something.

I can do this one computer at a time but it would be more convenient if I could VPN to both computers at the same time. I don't think it's a big issue technically but TV doesn't seem to support it maybe??? I can connect to two or more computers at a time for remote access, but when I try to VPN to two of them the latter VPN connection connects me to the first, so I'm only connected to one by VPN.

Sometimes VPN is used to mask someone's location (PIA?). That is not an issue for me at all. I just want to be able to map my remote backup drives to my local computer when they are not in the same house on the same LAN. If this is not supported by TV, could you please put this in as a user request?

Thanks, bazbsg...

Esther

Hi again and good morning!

Even though I only have limited VPN knowledge I think you are right that you need VPN for that case. However - that being said: I also think you need a bit more advanced support than I can offer, but it was a pleasure talking with you again 🙌

I am sending a help request to my experienced friends @JeanK and @TV_Benjamin: Can you have a look at @bazbsg ´s case and see whether two VPN connections can or are supposed to work at the same time? Or is this by design that the first connection drops?

Looking forward to your thoughts and to learning something new about TeamViewer again 👍

Thanks in advance,

Esther

bazbsg

Today the problem is back. Just updating so you know it was not a one time thing. If I VPN to #1 then try #2 it still connects to #1. If I disconnect both then connect to #2 first, then #1, the second connection is to #2.

JeanK

Hi @bazbsg,

We are checking with the responsible devs and getting back to you as soon as we have something.

We do not forget you. 😊

JeanK

Hello @bazbsg,

Our dev team has noticed an instability in some VPN connection reports. Our team is currently working on improving the service.

I'll be in touch with updates as they happen! 🍀