Wireless and VPN issue

I have just been given a laptop as part of my new job and it has wireless capabilities built into it.

When I first used it last week at home I scanned for wireless networks and managed to 'piggyback' onto someone else's unsecured wireless network.

From there I could surf the net etc.

I also clicked on the VPN icon on my laptop's desktop and this successfully connected me into my office's systems so I could access the network drives etc.

As I was uneasy about using someone else's bandwidth (let alone the security aspect of it) I have purchased and successfully installed a Linksys wirelss router for my Blueyonder broadband at home.

The wireless router has been configured to use WEP 128 incryption and does not disclose SSID.

The laptop has been configured and now uses my secure wireless link and all is well with one exception.

When I click on the VPN icon on the laptop's desktop it connects into the office systems without throwing up an errors however I cannot access any of the drives or emails. I suspect this is due to the encrypted aspect of the wireless link (I reverted back to the unsecured wireless link and I couldf access the network and emails etc).

As I didn't set up the VPN access I really don't know if the problem lies there or with the configuration of the router at my end.

Any thoughts or tests I can run to see where the issue lies?

 

i believe it acutally has to do with the size of packets, ie being larger then 1500, trying manually telling your router to use packets of about 1490 that way the added vnp stuff doesn't make an extra large packet. Just something to play with/google, as i have seen this cause issues before.

 

Sorry to say it didn't work.

I also made a few security setting alterations to the router but this didn't work either.

Ho hum.

 

Actually I don't think it is because of the security encryption of my wireless network as I just diabled it and the laptop still wouldn't connect into the office via VPN (well it said it did connect but it won't allow me to view the network drives or acces emails etc).

I guess I will have to try the in house IT techy.