Remote Desktop through VPN

[Odell]

Please correct my assumptions if there are wrong..

I have 3 computers at home all running Windows XP Pro behind a Linksys
router. All 3 computers have fixed IP addresses. I have Computer A
(192.168.1.100) to accept incoming connections and run as a VPN server.

I am able to connect to the VPN connection but now I can't run Remote
Desktop. I was under the assumption that once you VPN, its as if you're
physically on the network. I am trying to access Remote Desktop with all 3
of my computers through the VPN tunnel but it's not working.

For example, I have Computer A, Computer B, Computer C. I want to be able to
connect VPN through an outside computer and then run Remote Desktop. And not
just Remote Desktop on the computer acting as a VPN server, I want to able
to connect via Remote Desktop on Computer B and Computer C also.

I'm assuming the reason this is not working is because the outside computer
doesn't know whether to use the IP address from my Local Area Connection
adapter or the IP address from the PPP adapter (VPN connection).

Does anybody have a solution for this?

Thanks,
Odell

 

[Miha Pihler]

Hi Odell,

What is IP of your source PC? Is it from 192.168.x.x range? That could be a
bit of a problem but there could also be a number of different things...

You could try for a test and change IP of your server with e.g. 10.10.x.x
and try then. That should eliminate problems with 192.168.x.x range if it
exists.

First try to ping your ServerA. If it responds then try with Remote Desktop.

By default WindowsXP operating system does not work as a router (does not
forward IP packets). So in order to reach ComputerB and ComputerC from
ComouterA you will need to enable IP Forwarding on your VPN server and that
could be a security risk so you have to be sure this is what you need!
Here is how you do it
http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;en-us;315236

What do you use for your VPN? Do you use PPTP or L2TP? There are also some
issues with IPSec and NAT that will prohibit you from establishing
connection with L2TP and IPSec over NAT.
How do you know your connection is successful? Are there any errors in your
Event Logs?

Make SURE your network is secure! Have a good firewall in place! Protect
unnecessary outbound traffic!