I've just spent 2 hours trying to get the built-in VPN (PPTP) client in Android to work. I tried 5 different free VPN providers found with Google. Four of them connected fine, but trying to go to a website in the browser would just hang. I tried some of the VPN providers on my Win7 PC and there they worked fine so I think there must be some problem with Androids built-in VPN client.

Has anyone actually managed to get it to work?

I recall you are running a custom ROM? If so have you verified that this is not a bug? These custom ROMs have 1,000's of bugs, and all features/functions are not tested. I'd look there first.

edited to add: read through a few posts and people with HTC and custom ROMs do appear to have some VPN issues. Maybe related to the TUN-enabled kernal?

Here's one thread with a lot of options: http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=603179

Thanks, but I already read through that particular thread. Though it is for HTC Dream, it does seem that HTC has some problem with the built-in PPTP client.

You are correct, I currently use the Oxygen-rom. I checked their bugtracker and while there has been some reported connection problems there doesn't seem to be any problems with the use of it once it's connected.

It has been reported many other places though, which is why I though it could be interesting to hear if anyone actually had it working.

I've not tried to get VPN up on my HTC Desire so thought I would give it a go. Tried bestfreevpn first. Setup was quick and easy, about 2 minutes. The VPN connection started up fine with the VPN icon in the banner bar. Tried the connection via our internal WiFi access point and through DTAC Edge and both made the connection fine. At first I thought it was ok when I started the browser and went to the forum but appears that was local cache as I tried other sites including the simplest, Google.com, and it just set there spinning.

Decided to try my StrongVPN account. Again, a couple of minutes to setup - the password is a pain though as it is a strong password. VPN connection connected, started the browser and tried several sites with no problem. A key test was connecting to a US based streaming TV site - streamed just fine.

Maybe something about the free VPNs or their location, but at least have verified it does work with PPTP. Did have to turn encryption off for the StrongVPN to work though.

Actually with some more testing it seems it does work sometimes. Maybe BestFreeVPN is just really slow.

Actually with some more testing it seems it does work sometimes. Maybe BestFreeVPN is just really slow.

I just set it up on my Windows 7 platform and it does work. But as you mentioned, seems very sluggish. This is at my office, will try again with my home wireless router and Desire.

Now that I'm home, I tried the bestfreevpn on the Desire which is connected to my 8MB 3BB connection through a wireless router. Worked perfectly with no significant delays and able to stream US tv smoothly similar to my StrongVPN connection. Time of day, location, ISP? Hard to pin down at the moment.

I used two (2) different Samsung phones: Captivate/2.2.1 custom ROM, Cooper/2.2.3, stock ROM, over 2G (One-2-Call, DTAC), 3G (True and iMobile3GX), WiFi (to True DSL 2x, TOT 1x) to ABCTV to stream a TV show which is not available without a VPN. Using a paid VPN I had 100% success. I tried bestfreevpn; it seemed to "connect" but always hung. I guess I'd recommend a paid service while the best you can say for a free service is that it is free.

I used two (2) different Samsung phones: Captivate/2.2.1 custom ROM, Cooper/2.2.3, stock ROM, over 2G (One-2-Call, DTAC), 3G (True and iMobile3GX), WiFi (to True DSL 2x, TOT 1x) to ABCTV to stream a TV show which is not available without a VPN. Using a paid VPN I had 100% success. I tried bestfreevpn; it seemed to "connect" but always hung. I guess I'd recommend a paid service while the best you can say for a free service is that it is free.

Which paid VPN service did you use?

After thinking about it a little the issue may well be capacity. My subscribed service with StrongVPN has a huge number of servers and probably large network pipes. Also, they limit the number of slots per server so when the slots are fully subscribed no new subscribers allowed until one leaves the service or changes server locations.

Free VPN services on the other hand probably have a pretty small number of servers and lower capacity network plus no limits on signups, or at least a much larger number of slot relative to the big commercial systems.

This would also probably make free services more time sensitive in terms of traffic with certain times having heavier usage.