LAST MODIFIED DATE: June 13, 2003

VERSION: This applies to Exceed versions 7.0+, 8.0

PROBLEM:

How does Exceed version 8.x or earlier work with NAT or VPN?

RESOLUTION:

Exceed works with NAT or VPN with several configuration settings. Changes are made on the NAT/VPN side and on the PC side where Exceed is installed.

The following are the steps that need to be followed for NAT/VPN to work with Exceed:

On the Exceed side:

1. User must find out the IP address of the machine where NAT/VPN is installed. The IP is usually the gateway IP, not the local private IP 192.168.xxx.xxx or 10.1.xxx.xxx.

   On many configurations this can be done by running the following command:
   
   ipconfig /all
   
   

2. Xstart only knows the local private IP address. The @d macro only picks the local private IP address of the PC. User must specify the display IP address of the NAT/VPN in the Xstart command line. In Exceed 8.x the user can select the NAT/VPN IP address from the Network Interfaces option in Xstart.

   For example, if user wants to specify the display IP address of NAT/VPN and display an xterm then you should have the following on the command line of Xstart:
   
   path_of_xterm\xterm -display ip_address_of_NAT/VPN

   In Exceed 8.x, the user can select the NAT/VPN IP address from the Network Interfaces option in Xstart,then the following is the Xstart command line:
   
   path_of_xterm\xterm -display @d
   
   In order to specify the NAT/VPN IP address do the following:
   
   

   • Click on the Other button in the Xstart window
   • Under the Connections tab enable the Interfaces check box
   • Click on the Settings button under the Interfaces check box
   • You should see the Network Interfaces window
   • Enable the check box that corresponds to the NAT/VPN Interface name
   • Click OK
   • Click OK again

   If users are running XDMCP, Exceed does not know the NAT/VPN IP address. The user should specify the NAT/VPN IP in the "User Specified XDMCP Address" field in Xconfig.

   In Exceed v8.x:
   
   

   • Run Xconfig
   • Click on Communication or Network and Communication
   • Click on Configure
   • Type in the NAT/VPN ip address in the "User Specified XDMCP Address" field

   In Exceed v7.x, user needs to add the following flag in the win.ini file under the [Exceed] section:
   
   XDMCPAddress=NAT/VPN_IP_Address
   
   

3. For security reasons, the users should enable the "File" radio button under "Host Access Control List" instead of the default and add remote Unix hosts to the xhost.txt file.
   To add to the xhost.txt file do the following:
   
   
   • Run Xconfig
   • Click on Security or Security,Access Control and System Administration
   • Enable the File radio button
   • Click on Edit
   • Add the Unix Hosts IP in the xhost.txt file
   
   On the NAT/VPN side, users should do the following:
   
   Open port 600x, eg. 6001, configure NAT/VPN to redirect data sent to this port to the IP of your PC where Exceed is running. After opening the port, set Exceed display number to x, 1 in this example. If more than one PC is running Exceed behind NAT/VPN, make sure each has a different display number.

   To set Exceed display number do the following:
   
   

   • Run Xconfig
   • Click on Communication or Network and Communication
   • Change the display number in the "Display Number" field