[RJW]

I added a VPN for security on both my MacBook and iPod Touch and am having trouble syncing through Bonjour. The Mac and iPod can still communicated with each other--I'm able to send settings from the Mac to the iPod--but I had to disconnect the VPN and then re-set up the sync preferences in Bonjour to get it to work. Is there some setting which will allow me to keep the VPN operating and still sync easily?

[Brian]

It sounds like the vpn and/or the firewall are interfering with the sync process. It's possible you'll be able to configure it in a way that doesn't, but keep in mind that the Bonjour sync defaults to using secure (encrypted) http.

In other words, it's already as secure as all the traffic that goes between your Mac and your bank when you log into their online banking system, or when you make a purchase on Amazon/eBay/etsy. (With the additional benefit of the traffic not going any farther than the WiFi radios on the devices installed can reach.)

Layering the VPN on top of that sounds like a lot of work for a little bit of additional benefit...

[whpalmer4]

Originally Posted by Brian

Layering the VPN on top of that sounds like a lot of work for a little bit of additional benefit...

Well, for OmniFocus, perhaps, but one might be doing it to secure all of the other traffic from prying eyes at the coffee shop, library, etc.

RJW, can you provide some more details about exactly how you are doing this?

One approach you could take is to keep the VPN, but switch to using the Omni Sync Server instead of the Bonjour sync. Then you don't have to wrestle the VPN software to get all of your traffic sent the right way, and as a bonus, you can sync even when the two devices aren't on the same network.

[RJW]

The VPN was really for accessing wifi out in public. I will try Omniserver, thanks for the suggestion. A lot of programs which sync are having problems with the VPN.