name resolution and VPN

[djc]

I just had an occurence of a user who is traveling not being able to connect
to their remote desktop. I verified successfull VPN login, and realized the
user could not ping their desktop computer by name. They could however ping
it by IP address.... so they connected via IP for now but that raised a few
questions for me. Also, I realized after helping this person that a ping to
the FQDN of their computer worked fine. So I think it is because they have a
static IP address and no static WINS mapping.

1) broadcasts do or do not go over a VPN connection? for example, broadcasts
to resolve a netbios name? I can ping a computer named computer1 from within
the LAN and get a response. But connected remotely via VPN the same ping
fails. But if I ping computer1.domainname.com when connected via VPN the
ping succeeds.

any info is appreciated. Thanks.

 

[Jeff Cochran]

I just had an occurence of a user who is traveling not being able to connect
to their remote desktop. I verified successfull VPN login, and realized the
user could not ping their desktop computer by name. They could however ping
it by IP address.... so they connected via IP for now but that raised a few
questions for me. Also, I realized after helping this person that a ping to
the FQDN of their computer worked fine. So I think it is because they have a
static IP address and no static WINS mapping.

1) broadcasts do or do not go over a VPN connection? for example, broadcasts
to resolve a netbios name?

Broadcasts don't route.

I can ping a computer named computer1 from within
the LAN and get a response. But connected remotely via VPN the same ping
fails. But if I ping computer1.domainname.com when connected via VPN the
ping succeeds.

any info is appreciated. Thanks.

HGosts, LMHosts or point the WINS setting on the client to the correct
WINS server. You need FQDN if the system isn't in the same domain as
the host being pinged.

Jeff

 

[djc]

ok Thanks. I am aware that broadcasts don't route but I wasn't sure if the
connection between client and remote network via VPN was considered
'routed'. When I think of the VPN connection it makes the remote client
'virtually' a node ON the LOCAL LAN. On that premise I was not sure if
broadcast traffic reaches VPN clients and vice/versa. I guess not.

Thanks for the info!