Set up a VPN link to a Windows Server 2003 machine in the office from a XP home machine at er home, all working fine over ADSL. Don't know whether this is a good thing, might not have an excuse to drive the vRS to work any more.

Anyway, when you start the VPN link and it connects all internet functions (ie, web browsing, messenger, skype, ping etc) from the client are lost.

It appears to try and route these down the VPN instead of using the net connection

Disconnect VPN and lo and behold all OK again.

Can this be solved? Or more likely what have I done wrong?

Ta.

To route internet bound traffic through the VPN instead of your machines default gateway you'll need to change a setting on the VPN connection.

Under the properties of the VPN connection, click the networking tab, highlight TCP/IP and click properties. Click advanced and put a tick in 'Use default gateway on remote network'.

That will send all internet traffic through the VPN instead of your machines default gateway.

***Edited**

I just realised what you meant.

Its doing what I described above and you dont want that ?

The way around that is to make sure there's no tick in that option.

The downside is you'll probably need to run a batch file after the VPN connects to add routes to your network(s) at work.

I've got a script that I run which adds my routes for me.

I can e-mail it too you if you want?

Correct, I don't want it to route via the VPN.

Only using VPN for access to the file shares on the Windows 2003 machine, so nothing too complicated. All the other machines in the office are switched off.

Lo and behold unticking that box it works. VPN and internet at the same time from home, marvellous.

Thanks very much!

That's useful to know - the rerouting of MSN has been driving me mad for months.