VPN Connection Issue

I have a Windows 2000 server with two NIC cards.
One for the outside, which is connected to the internet.
The other, for the inside, is connected to our local LAN.

I have a Windows ME client, which is setup with on a cable modem. I setup a VPN connect to my server.

When I am at work, using the same internet provider,
I can get connected.

I take my PC home and use the same internet provider
and it can get connect, but fails to verify my user id.

I did a tracert and noticed that at home I have to take
one additional hop, out of a total of three.

What do you suppose is wrong?

Also, do you happen to know how safe Microsoft VPN is?
Also, which protocols should be bound to which NIC?

Thanks

 

Is the extra hop a firewall at work or your ISP? Alone it should be pretty safe because everything is encrypted. Only bind VPN and TCP/IP

 

When I do a tracert I get the following:
C:\WINDOWS\Desktop>tracert 24.247.63.194

Tracing route to icdemo.isdwhq.com [24.247.63.194]
over a maximum of 30 hops:

1 14 ms 14 ms 13 ms 10.65.64.1
2 14 ms * 14 ms 10.65.64.102
3 13 ms * 14 ms 10.65.64.102
4 13 ms 28 ms 14 ms icdemo.isdwhq.com [24.247.63.194]

Trace complete.

Why does 10.65.64.102 take so long?
I am wondering if the VPN connection times out because of the
delay at 10.65.64.102?

Also, I think the VPN uses port 1224.
Could there be something blocking that port?

Thanks