VPN for Virgin's Broadband2Go

by Scott
(Chicago, IL)

Has anyone successfully set up VPN on Virgin's Broadband2Go modem? Tech support is horrendous and the latest (after escalating the calls) is that Virgin hasn't opened any valid VPN ports so even though their advertising says you can use VPN, it does not appear that you can.

Comments for VPN for Virgin's Broadband2Go

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Jul 13, 2011
 PPTP vpn work
by: danzig69

I just make a connection to my Nortel contivity 1100 with the pptp protocole using the windows 7 x32 integrated vpn connector and my Virgin Mobile USB stick MC998D.
Encryption Method: RC4-128. Authentification MS CHAP V2
then I connect to my work computer with RDP.

sixty_cycle_hum, your explication is perfect. Your computer received a private ip addresses (10.xxx.xxx.xxx) that will change every time you connect, every user goes out with a public ip addresses (184.151.xxx.xxx) that change every time i connect.
So Virgin have a server/router that bring us on the internet. This is call NAT like a home router did. NAT=Network address translation. Some vpn server saw this as a kind of hack or spoof because the IP address change between the computer and the server.

NAT-T allows systems behind NATs to request and establish secure connections on demand.

To see your public ip adress : www.ipchicken.com
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Network_address_translation
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/NAT_traversal
Jul 12, 2011
 thought
by: sixty_cycle_hum

I believe the reason we're all having so much trouble is because of the way VM handles IP addresses on their network. If you'll notice - the external IP that your modem has is not the same that a website sees. Go ahead and check it - mine is never even in the same ballpark. I think what they're doing to save costs is to assign the users an internal network IP that is translated when it hits their gateway. Saves them a bunch of money by not having to buy up loads of IPs in a world where there's a big shortage. Most other carriers assign a REAL IP.

The reason it won't work with PPTP? The way PPTP authenticates back to the requesting user's IP would keep much communication from happening at all. Since VM isn't going to forward port 1773 to all the internal IP addresses sharing a single external IP, we never get a response back from the PPTP server. Same reason you can't use services like dynDNS or even remote desktop to connect to a machine that uses VM for its ISP. Won't work, never will - not with PPTP anyway. Thankfully remote desktop can still work in the opposite direction, which is all I really need to get at my stuff ;)
Jul 12, 2011
 SSL VPN
by: PrepaidWirelessGuy

Sorry for the delayed response; I lost track of the question asked of me. I used a corporate SSL VPN client, which I don't believe to be Microsoft VPN PPTP.
Jul 12, 2011
 a solution for Nortel/Avaya
by: danzig69

solution for me, I didn't had to ask Virgin Mobile to open any port. I had to check a box in the Nortel Contivity 1100. Menu services, IPSEC, in the section NAT Traversal, check the Enabled box and put in the UDP Port field a number like 5075.

Then on the contivity, in Profiles, Groups, click on the Edit button of the group in wich your user are,
IPsec Configure,
NAT Traversal must be Auto-Detect NAT or Always Udp Encap

Avaya VPN client Version : 10.05.012 x32
Nortel Contivity 1100 : V05_00.136

Ipsec with RSA hardware token work
Ipsec with a user name and a password work
Apr 11, 2011
 PrepaidWirelessGuy, please confirm
by: Anonymous

that your got Microsoft VPN PPTP working in your
review. Since you did not mention what VPN you
tested.

I got MC760 from VM and it did not work with PPTP.

Thanks,
Dec 30, 2010
 No PTPP
by: bmhhvactec

Just saw all the comments about not getting VPN to work with broadband to go. I'll join the folks who say the MiFi and the usb stick should both work the same. If they don't I see that as a "shaft" to force you to purchase the higher priced MiFi. I'm curious tho if there are generic VPN clients that do work with Virgin. I tried to Nortel one and all hell broke loose. Had to reinstall windows because of it.---regardless as far as speed I couldn't ask for better considering we live in the sticks.
Dec 29, 2010
 Virgin Broadband and VPN
by: PrepaidWirelessGuy

I would think that it wouldn't matter how you connect to the cellular network (via MiFi device or USB modem); if it works for one, it should work for the other. Of course, someone who's a lot more technical may be able to explain why/how the protocols are different between these two connections pathways.


In the meantime, I think it stands to reason that Virgin is not proactively blocking VPN access, and that it's most likely a PC configuration issue.


I posted my review at:
Virgin Broadband Review
Dec 29, 2010
 MC760
by: sixty_cycle_hum

I have an MC760 usb dongle with VM, and it doesn't seem to work on my VPN. It's a PPTP VPN, have not tried any others.

So what's the consensus here? The MiFi is VPN capable, but not the MC760 USB modem?
Dec 09, 2010
 Broadband2Go MiFi Testing
by: PrepaidWirelessGuy

That's great to hear! I spoke with someone at Virgin this week and they're sending me a MiFi device to test. I will test it with my VPN as well and report back!
Dec 09, 2010
 VPN usage works
by: Anonymous

I just bought my MIFI 2200 today, brought home, paid my $40 for unlimited usage and then logged onto my company VPN with it. I have another laptop beside my work laptop using at the same time. So far, seem to be working perfectly. This is a great & cheaper alternative to DSL and other aircards. I see some people were complaining about the customer service, but customer service for my DSL wasn't good either. They just told me we are having an outage for the past three days.
Sep 09, 2010
 Broadband2Go & VPN
by: PrepaidWirelessGuy

How pathetic! It doesn't even make sense that a MiFi device would behave any differently from a USB device. The 3G connectivity is the same. It simply has a WiFi radio that allows you to connect to it instead of having to plug it in.


Anyway, please post back if they call you back. I've heard of people using Broadband2Go devices with VPN, so hopefully you can get it to work. If not, I expect that you'll need to return it.
Sep 09, 2010
 Virgin Mobile and VPN
by: Carl Oppedahl

Signed up for Virgin's Mifi service two days ago. Tried to connect to my firm's VPN which is PPTP. It does not work. Called Virgin's tech support reaching a rude fellow in Mexico who said the Mifi device does not support VPNs. I tried to point out the place in the user manual where it says the device *does* support PPTP. He put me on hold and then hung up on me. Called back, reached Mary in the Philippines. She placed me on hold and then hung up on me after about ten minutes.

Called back yesterday, and supposedly a higher level of tech support was promised to call me back later the same day. No phone call ever arrived.
Jul 08, 2010
 Broaband2Go Port Blocking
by: PrepaidWirelessGuy

From what I researched previously, Virgin does not claim to block any ports. I personally have not experienced any of the wireless broadband offers (prepaid or otherwise) blocking any ports. Unfortunately, I can only recommend that if you continue to have problems that you call Virgin support and ask them. Though I understand that getting to a knowledgeable person can be quite a challenge....hmm.... Please let us know how things unfold for you!
Jun 17, 2010
 Windows Remote Desktop?
by: Computer Guy

Can't connect to Terminal Server w/ Remote Desktop Connection when connected to Internet with Virgin Broadband2Go. Whne connected using my WiFi, it works flawlessly. Does Virgin block port 3389?
Feb 20, 2010
 Virgin Broadband2Go Resolution
by: PrepaidWirelessGuy

That's great news! Thank you to everyone who posted (and continues to post) details regarding how you've been troubleshooting your Broadband2Go issues. I know your help and insight has helped a lot of people who visit this forum!
Feb 19, 2010
 Got it to work
by: Anonymous

I finally miraculously got it to work. I was running Nortel VPN Software - v.4.65v2 . I installed the latest version, v.6.01.141 ( for XP ) and it works perfectly now! So something to do with the older version that caused my hangups.
Feb 16, 2010
 Needs to open ports
by: Faraz

I too can not get VPN to work using Nortel Contivity . Some googling shows:

To resolve such an issue make sure the following traffic is allowed to pass through the firewalls along the path:

• UDP protocol (17) port 500 both inbound and outbound (should already be allowed if the Nortel VPN Client tries to retrieve a banner);

• ESP protocol (50) both inbound and outbound;

• AH protocol (51) both inbound and outbound.

I emailed them this info through their website. Hopefully if others can keep pestering them they will finally get it fixed. Otherwise it is a great product at an affordable price. I just turn off images/videos when browsing the web and the 250 MB is plenty.
Dec 10, 2009
 AVOID: not getting all the bandwidth I paid for
by: Kevin

not only is their service too expensive, they don't seem to give you all you pay for, we did some tests and compared actual bandwidth throughput to the amount of bandwidth they subtract off of the account and there are large discrepancies

I am thinking of throwing my broadband2go card in the garbage rather than paying to be ripped off over and over again


when will a company come out with a fair deal, accurate bandwidth accounting, and perhaps something along the lines of 5 gigs for $100 or something? in this day and age $60 for a lousy gig (of which they seem to only give you 900MB) is just not going to cut it.... avoid this Virgin card is all I can recommend
Nov 20, 2009
 Virgin Prepaid Broadband Support
by: PrepaidWirelessGuy

How lame, not to mention frustrating! Here's the number I found that was noted for people having trouble with their Broadband2Go modem. Is this the same one you already tried? 1-877-877-8443
Nov 20, 2009
 Same Problem
by: Dirtmaster

I have been trying since 11-05-09 (today is 11-20) to get my broadband2go working. Still no luck. I get an error message saying, "you need cookies", but it will not let me know where or how to get them. BTW, I emailed their support about 10 days ago and got an automated response saying that I would be contacted within 24 hours. My watch and calendar must be on a different system from theirs. Is there such a thing as "Metric time & calendar? Maybe that's the problem. Also, I need a support number where I can talk to a human, and I don't speak Spanish.
Nov 09, 2009
 Spoke with tech support
by: PdProg

I talked with tech support yesterday. Guy said that the device supports VPN, but that support doesn't. After several frustrating minutes, I found out that the *only* tech support people are the ones I talked to in Mexico. And they don't have access to the CDMA network, and thus *never* use the devices themselves!

I wrote a letter to the headquarters in NJ. We'll see what comes of that.

Aug 04, 2009
 Virgin Mobile Prepaid Broadband VPN - Update
by: PrepaidWirelessGuy

Just wanted to let you know that it's been almost two weeks and Virgin has not yet responded to my inquiry regarding the VPN question. I'm a little disappointed at the lack of response.

I've heard of a couple of customers who had trouble installing the modem on their computers, and had to abandon the process and get a refund. (not related to VPN usage)

Hopefully these are the exceptions and most people are having a good experience. USB modem installation is typically pretty painless, and being on the Sprint network, I would expect the overall data experience should be quite good.
Jul 23, 2009
 VPN on Virgin Prepaid Broadband
by: PrepaidWirelessGuy

I searched on Virgin's Q&As and found the following vague response to the question "Can I establish a VPN connection over Broadband2Go?":

"Probably. It will look like a dial-up modem connection (but faster). If your VPN software can find the connection, it should be able to set up the VPN."


I posted a new question on their site requesting that they validate that it will work, and if so, if there's any special configuration that needs to be done. Once I receive the response I will post it here! In the meantime, hopefully someone has successfully connected to their VPN and will post that here.


I have successfully connected to VPN using a Sprint broadband modem, which is the same network, though there could very well be a difference in platform configuration for Sprint's MVNOs, or specific ports that Virgin needs to ensure are open to allow it.


I also was able to find references to VPN compatibility in their Broadband2Go User Guide (http://web.virginmobileusa.com/files/vmmc76_userguide), which also refers to some configuration in the user profile setup process. Do a search on "VPN" in the PDF.


Ideally someone will reply who has actually successfully connected to their VPN, regardless of what the documentation or what Virgin says is possible; we want real world proof!

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