Connecting to a computer via remote desktop, which is connected to VPN [closed]

I want to use my home computer (a Mac with nice big thunderbolt monitor) to remote desktop into my work laptop, which is on my home network. I want to do this because the screen on my work laptop is terrible and small.

I am able to remote desktop into my work laptop so long as I am not connected to VPN on my work laptop. But as soon as I connect to my work laptop via corporate network via Cisco VPN client, my remote desktop connection from my home computer is discounted and I'm no longer able to connect.

It may help to point out that when the corporate laptop is not connected to VPN, I have a local network IP address (192.x.x.x) only. When connected to VPN, I have an additional IP (10.x.x.x) representing the VPN connection. This may not be surprising or helpful information, but thought I put that out there just in case.

Solution 1:

With a Cisco AnyConnect VPN there is an option on the client side to allow this IF the VPN admin is allowing split-tunneling.

You can see the option here:

As far as on the firewall itself, if you are the VPN/firewall admin (I'm guessing you aren't) then the setting is similar to this here:

Solution 2:

I suspect your corporate laptop VPN has been set up and configured a mode to tunnel ALL traffic down it and not just corporate traffic. In order for you to remote desktop, you will need to have it set up in a split mode.

I am unfamiliar with the Cisco VPN but, for example on Sonicwall SRA devices the option is "Tunnel all mode".

Many sysadmins setup their VPN like yours to avoid laptops like yours effectively being able to "bridge" between the internet and the corporate network.