In that case it sounds like a firewall problem. I assume, since you haven't mentioned it, that you haven't installed or changed anything at the time this problem started ?
Do you have a firewall installed which auto-updates itself ?
On a slightly different tack, you mention that you use Freeserve: we have noticed at work that some of our users who dialup using Freeserve have started having problems connecting with their VPN software, whereas others haven't -- we haven't quite got to the bottom of this yet, but it appears to be related to the part of the Freeserve network to which your dialup connects you. Has you phone number which you dialup to changed ? You might try contacting Freeserve and seeing if they can give you different numbers which connect you to another part of their network.
[Edited to add] the significance of the Freeserve connection issue is that they might be adding some internal "firewalling" to their network which might be causing this problem.]
HTH,
Last edited by RomeoTangoFoxtrotMike; 24th November 2002 at 21:50.