newbie: VPN and IP mismatch

[tg]

I've managed to set up a successful VPN connection between two windows xp PC's - both on
different broadband connections. The client can ping the server IP and the server replies.
The whole point of this VPN connection is so the client can access files I have on the
server machine but when I try Network Places on the client I don't see the server machine.
Both machines are set up on the Workgroup and both machines work fine on their own LANs. I
figured this is because the IP of the client is 192.168.1.xx and the server IP is
192.168.0.xx Both machines must keep their numbers to stay on their own LANs.
So how do I overcome this mismatch?

 

[Robert L. \(MS-MVP\)]

This NetBIOS name resolution issue. If you have WINS server, that will take
care of it. Since both computers are XP without WINS, you may try to use
lmhosts. This search result may help too.
Browsing over VPN
To connect to it from the VPN client you can map a drive or use
\\192.168.1.55\sharename in the run box. You can also configure the lmhosts
on your VPN ...
www.chicagotech.net/Q&A/vpn27.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

 

[Bill Grant]

I've managed to set up a successful VPN connection between two windows xp
PC's - both on
different broadband connections. The client can ping the server IP and the
server replies.
The whole point of this VPN connection is so the client can access files I
have on the
server machine but when I try Network Places on the client I don't see the
server machine.
Both machines are set up on the Workgroup and both machines work fine on
their own LANs. I
figured this is because the IP of the client is 192.168.1.xx and the
server IP is
192.168.0.xx Both machines must keep their numbers to stay on their own
LANs.
So how do I overcome this mismatch?

The IP address of the LAN NIC is not important (except that they must be
in different IP subnets as you say). What is important is the IP address
used for the connection. When the connection is up, click on the connection
icon in the client and click the details tab. This will show you the
addresses of both host and guest which are bound to the VPN connection.

VPN just gives you an IP connection. It does not automatically give you
browsing or name resolution like a network connection does.

 

[tg]

This NetBIOS name resolution issue. If you have WINS server, that will take care of it.
Since both computers are XP without WINS, you may try to use lmhosts. This search result
may help too.
Browsing over VPN
To connect to it from the VPN client you can map a drive or use
\\192.168.1.55\sharename in the run box. You can also configure the lmhosts on your VPN
...
www.chicagotech.net/Q&A/vpn27.htm

ok thanks for your help Robert. Using those instructions I finally succeeded in accessing
the files. I mapped a drive on the server and then from the client I could see the files
on the server drive, which is great. I see how this method gives you a access to a drive,
but if the server computer has several drives is there a way to open 'the whole server
computer' as opposed to just one of it's drives?

 

[tg]

The IP address of the LAN NIC is not important (except that they must be in different
IP subnets as you say). What is important is the IP address used for the connection.
When the connection is up, click on the connection icon in the client and click the
details tab. This will show you the addresses of both host and guest which are bound to
the VPN connection.

VPN just gives you an IP connection. It does not automatically give you browsing or
name resolution like a network connection does.

ok thanks for your response Bill. Following your instructions I see on my client computer
(connection/details) that the server address is 192.168.0.12 and the client address is
192.168.0.13.. So I see these numbers but I don't know what to do with them to make the
server computer appear in Network Places on the client computer.

 

[Bill Grant]

ok thanks for your response Bill. Following your instructions I see on my
client computer (connection/details) that the server address is
192.168.0.12 and the client address is 192.168.0.13.. So I see these
numbers but I don't know what to do with them to make the server computer
appear in Network Places on the client computer.

It won't. Network Places depends on the computer browser service, which
in turn depends on LAN broadcasts. If you were running a domain and WINS you
might get it to work, but it won't work in a workgroup, even with WINS. (The
reason for this is the way a client tries to find the master browser).

Your best bet is to simply use basic net commands. You should be able to
see a share on the server with net view \\servername. You can then map the
share using net use z: \\servername\sharename . (You may need to specify
a username/password as well), Then you will see the share locally as z:

 

[Robert L. \(MS-MVP\)]

If you have a server, you may create DFS (distributed file service). Since
this is XP, you may create each shared folder or drive to be listed in My
Network Places by using Add a network place.

This search result may help too.
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