VPN works, RDP works but only by IP address

[saxguy]

I have setup a VPN server on our Netopia R7100 router and it
authenticates PPTP clients fine.

I have remote desktop enabled on several XP pro workstations and can
connect to these over a NAT'd 192.168.1.x tunnel via the remote XP
client just fine AS LONG as I specify the internal private address of
one of the workstation I intend to connect.

However for my users, I would like them to just connect using their
well know netbios host name.

Doesn't work and I've tried lmhosts files on the NT4 server that is
our PDC. The workstations just connect right to the router for their
access though so not sure if lmhosts on the server is the answer.
Also, if it *is* the correct procedure to use lmhosts, do I need to
reboot the server to make it take? Or perhaps at least a nbstsat -RR,
nbstat -c?

Anyway, the last thing I thought of was the router itself? I don't
have it blocking netbios traffic but doesn't the fact that I have a
VPN tunnel already connected negate this issue? The VPN server hands
out a private address in the same space as the internal LAN so I
thought the RDP client would just broadcast for name resolution.

Finally I read an article about a registry change that let's the XP
Pro RDP host advertise itself as a Terminal Server thinking this would
work but I still need to specify an IP address to connect my RDP
session..

thanks for catching something I have missed too many times now

saxguy

 

[Lanwench [MVP - Exchange]]

LMHOSTS on the server won't help, but a local hosts file on the workstation
will. Note that if you're using DHCP, this is not going to help you much
.....probably best to use DHCP reservations for the computers in question.

Or, if you have WINS, try setting the WINS server IP on the source computer
for the network connection in question.

 

[saxguy]

LMHOSTS on the server won't help, but a local hosts file on the workstation
will. Note that if you're using DHCP, this is not going to help you much
....probably best to use DHCP reservations for the computers in question.

Or, if you have WINS, try setting the WINS server IP on the source computer
for the network connection in question.

hosts file on the workstation..I'll try that but your caveat about
DHCP concerns me...The VPN clients do have a reserved DHCP assigned
address from the router (VPN server) in the same name space .

Is this still alright or is there another situation where you think
hosts file on the workstation could be problematic?

thanks

 

[Lanwench [MVP - Exchange]]

hosts file on the workstation..I'll try that but your caveat about
DHCP concerns me...The VPN clients do have a reserved DHCP assigned
address from the router (VPN server) in the same name space .

Make sure that the computer running RD has either a static IP address or a
DHCP reservation - you don't want it getting a different IP address all the
time, or your local hosts file won't be very useful.

 

[saxguy]

not working...all IP's are reserved for a given workstaiton...

I put a hosts file on the host computer in the form of

192.168.1.x computername

and even ran nbtstat -R and nbtstat -c

but at my VPN client it can't find the computer name...ojly works by
the private IP address


Do I need to reboot the remote computer?

thank you

 

[Lanwench [MVP - Exchange]]

not working...all IP's are reserved for a given workstaiton...

I put a hosts file on the host computer in the form of

You need to put this entry in the hosts file on your own computer, not the
one running remote desktop that you're trying to connect to.

192.168.1.x computername

and even ran nbtstat -R and nbtstat -c

but at my VPN client it can't find the computer name...ojly works by
the private IP address


Do I need to reboot the remote computer?

thank you

On Tue, 23 Mar 2004 09:31:33 -0500, "Lanwench [MVP - Exchange]"

LMHOSTS on the server won't help, but a local hosts file on the
workstation will. Note that if you're using DHCP, this is not going
to help you much ....probably best to use DHCP reservations for the
computers in question.

Or, if you have WINS, try setting the WINS server IP on the source
computer for the network connection in question.

hosts file on the workstation..I'll try that but your caveat about
DHCP concerns me...The VPN clients do have a reserved DHCP assigned
address from the router (VPN server) in the same name space .

Make sure that the computer running RD has either a static IP
address or a DHCP reservation - you don't want it getting a
different IP address all the time, or your local hosts file won't be
very useful.

Is this still alright or is there another situation where you think
hosts file on the workstation could be problematic?

thanks

 

[saxguy]

You need to put this entry in the hosts file on your own computer, not the
one running remote desktop that you're trying to connect to.

ahh that worked... thanks lanwrench!

So I have a couple of questions about this functionality

~ Why am I using hosts instead of lmhosts? Wasn't my problem netbios
related not dns related?

~ why didn't the machinename resolve without any hosts file anyway? Is
my client machine confused about where to find the 192.168.1.x address
even though a VPN tunnel was created *with* that address space?

Grateful you got me resolved anyway!

thanks again
saxguy

 

[Lanwench [MVP - Exchange]]

ahh that worked... thanks lanwrench!

Glad to help.

So I have a couple of questions about this functionality

~ Why am I using hosts instead of lmhosts? Wasn't my problem netbios
related not dns related?

Hosts is quick and simple and maps a name to an IP address, which is why it
works here. You can use LMHOSTS if you want - if you need to map drives and
don't have a WINS server to handle name resolution, you'd need to include
the domain name 0x1b entry, etc - if you don't need it, hosts will be just
fine.

~ why didn't the machinename resolve without any hosts file anyway? Is
my client machine confused about where to find the 192.168.1.x address
even though a VPN tunnel was created *with* that address space?

If broadcast/NetBIOS traffic isn't allowed across a routed connection, and
you aren't using WINS, what's supposed to do the name resolution?

 

[saxguy]

If broadcast/NetBIOS traffic isn't allowed across a routed connection, and
you aren't using WINS, what's supposed to do the name resolution?

Right....NetBios traffic filtered at the router...thanks for the help
mr lanwrench

saxguy

 

[Lanwench [MVP - Exchange]]

Right....NetBios traffic filtered at the router...thanks for the help
mr lanwrench

Hey, I have the word "wench" in my nickname - it's like I ignored the word
"guy" in yours and started calling you ma'am ;-)

 

[saxguy]

Hey, I have the word "wench" in my nickname - it's like I ignored the word
"guy" in yours and started calling you ma'am ;-)

oh ma god! Duly noted!

 

[Lanwench [MVP - Exchange]]

oh ma god! Duly noted!

<mollified; calls off the dogs>