Adding a network place failure after VPN

[Edward Diener]

I use VPN to connect to a server VPN machine using Network and Dial Up
Connections / Make New Connection control panel functionality. My
connection is made without any problems and the connection icon shows up
in the tray.

I then try the Add Network Place wizard to a share off of the same
server to which I have my connection. I first try just typing in the
same server address, in the form of \\nnn.nnn.nnn.nnn, which I used to
make my connection in order to get a list of possible shares to which I
have access, and click the Next button. After pausing for awhile I get
back the failure message of:

"The network place could not be added because the following error has
occurred: The network path was not found."

I then try typing the same server address with a share, in the form of
\\nnn.nnn.nnn.nnn\sharename, to which I have been given access, only to
get back the same message.

I can see in my connection icon in the tray, when looking at properties,
that the IP address for the VPN connection is the same as the one I am
typing into the Add Network Place wizard. I can obviously make my VPN
connection to that address without problems each time. Why then does the
Add Network Wizard tell me that the network path was not found ? What am
I missing here ?

 

[Robert L [MS-MVP]]

do simple test. Can you ping the nnn.nnn.nnn.nnn?

Bob Lin, MS-MVP, MCSE & CNE
Networking, Internet, Routing, VPN Troubleshooting on http://www.ChicagoTech.net
How to Setup Windows, Network, VPN & Remote Access on http://www.HowToNetworking.com
I use VPN to connect to a server VPN machine using Network and Dial Up
Connections / Make New Connection control panel functionality. My
connection is made without any problems and the connection icon shows up
in the tray.

I then try the Add Network Place wizard to a share off of the same
server to which I have my connection. I first try just typing in the
same server address, in the form of \\nnn.nnn.nnn.nnn, which I used to
make my connection in order to get a list of possible shares to which I
have access, and click the Next button. After pausing for awhile I get
back the failure message of:

"The network place could not be added because the following error has
occurred: The network path was not found."

I then try typing the same server address with a share, in the form of
\\nnn.nnn.nnn.nnn\sharename, to which I have been given access, only to
get back the same message.

I can see in my connection icon in the tray, when looking at properties,
that the IP address for the VPN connection is the same as the one I am
typing into the Add Network Place wizard. I can obviously make my VPN
connection to that address without problems each time. Why then does the
Add Network Wizard tell me that the network path was not found ? What am
I missing here ?

 

[Edward Diener]

do simple test. Can you ping the nnn.nnn.nnn.nnn?

Yes, ping is successful. Then why should I be getting the error from Add
Network Place that I am ?

 

[Robert L [MS-MVP]]

I think it computer browser issue. to confirm it, do net view \\nnn.nnn.nnn.nnn. if you receive system error 53, this is computer browser issue. Please post back with the result.

Bob Lin, MS-MVP, MCSE & CNE
Networking, Internet, Routing, VPN Troubleshooting on http://www.ChicagoTech.net
How to Setup Windows, Network, VPN & Remote Access on http://www.HowToNetworking.com

do simple test. Can you ping the nnn.nnn.nnn.nnn?

Yes, ping is successful. Then why should I be getting the error from Add
Network Place that I am ?

 

[Edward Diener]

I think it computer browser issue. to confirm it, do net view
\\nnn.nnn.nnn.nnn <file://\\nnn.nnn.nnn.nnn>. if you receive system
error 53, this is computer browser issue. Please post back with the result.

The result is what you anticipated: error 53 The network path was not
found. If this is a computer browser issue, how do I fix it ? I am on
w2ksp4.

 

[Robert L [MS-MVP]]

The best solution is installing WINS server. If you can't the option is to create a shortcut on the desktop. This how to may help,

Computer browser over VPN Computer browsing over VPN involves routers, multiple segments and multihomed servers. It is generally recommended that you implement WINS for name ...
www.howtonetworking.com/VPN/browsingovervpn0.htm


Bob Lin, MS-MVP, MCSE & CNE
Networking, Internet, Routing, VPN Troubleshooting on http://www.ChicagoTech.net
How to Setup Windows, Network, VPN & Remote Access on http://www.HowToNetworking.com

I think it computer browser issue. to confirm it, do net view
\\nnn.nnn.nnn.nnn <file://\\nnn.nnn.nnn.nnn>. if you receive system
error 53, this is computer browser issue. Please post back with the result.

The result is what you anticipated: error 53 The network path was not
found. If this is a computer browser issue, how do I fix it ? I am on
w2ksp4.

 

[Edward Diener]

The best solution is installing WINS server.

How do I do this, and why should I do it considering I am a client and
am not running W2k server ?

If you can't the option is
to create a shortcut on the desktop.

A shortcut to what ?

This how to may help,

*Computer* *browser* over *VPN*
<http://www.howtonetworking.com/VPN/browsingovervpn0.htm>
*Computer* *browsing* over *VPN* involves routers, multiple segments and
multihomed servers. It is generally recommended that you implement WINS
for name *...*
www.howtonetworking.com/VPN/*browsing*over*vpn*0.htm
<http://www.howtonetworking.com/VPN/browsingovervpn0.htm>

Thanks for the links. Isn't one of the main points of VPN so that I may
connect, to a shared folder, on another system ? Why is it so hard in
Windows to do that ? OK, I am chagrined, but this should be easy. After
all VPN has been around for quite awhile now, and I have the latest
updates for one of the two most important Windows OSs.