VPN help please

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Guest

HI
I have setup a VPN between my Laptop (client)and My Desktop computer at home
(Static IP From ISP). Netgear DG834G Wireless router (Port Forwarding is
configured for VPN).

I cqn connect to the desktop computer from my Laptop over the internet with
no problem, the connetcion Icon is in the laptops System tray, and it tells
me i am connected.

Which is great! but here is the big one, how do i access folders or files
that are on the Desktop.

At the present all i can see is the Icons created on the desktop and System
tray, which allows me to connect or disconnect!

Hope i have explained my self OK

Thanks
 
loucypher said:
HI
I have setup a VPN between my Laptop (client)and My Desktop computer at
home
(Static IP From ISP). Netgear DG834G Wireless router (Port Forwarding is
configured for VPN).

I cqn connect to the desktop computer from my Laptop over the internet
with
no problem, the connetcion Icon is in the laptops System tray, and it
tells
me i am connected.

Which is great! but here is the big one, how do i access folders or files
that are on the Desktop.

At the present all i can see is the Icons created on the desktop and
System
tray, which allows me to connect or disconnect!

Hope i have explained my self OK

Thanks
Click to expand...


Well, presuming you have shared folders on the desktop PC at home you need
to use the form:

\\PcName\SharedFolderName

....or...

\\PcIPAddress\SharedFolderName

....to access the shared folder(s)...

Personally I use a lmhosts file on my laptop client to map PC names to there
IP address. Here is an example.

http://theillustratednetwork.mvps.org/Vista/PPTP/Examplelmhosts.txt
http://theillustratednetwork.mvps.org/Vista/PPTP/ExampleVistaVPNNetwork.html

http://support.microsoft.com/kb/314884/en-us

Make sure NetBIOS over TCP/IP is enabled on the home desktop PC...

http://www.practicallynetworked.com/sharing/troubleshoot/netbt.htm

--

Al Jarvi (MS-MVP Windows Networking)

Please post *ALL* questions and replies to the news group for the
mutual benefit of all of us...
The MS-MVP Program - http://mvp.support.microsoft.com
This posting is provided "AS IS" with no warranties, and confers no
rights...
 
hi
I am still struggling, to understand your reply

so i will explain abit more.
Both computers are running XP Pro, they are not on a Domain, LAN IP
address,s are in the 192.168 range.




This is what i followed on the Laptop Client to create the VPN


1. On the client computer, confirm that the connection to the Internet is
correctly configured.
2. Click Start, click Control Panel, and then click Network Connections.
Click Create a new connection under Network Tasks, and then click Next.
3. Click Connect to the network at my workplace to create the dial-up
connection. Click Next to continue.
4. Click Virtual Private Network connection, and then click Next.
5. Type a descriptive name for this connection in the Company name dialog
box, and then click Next.
6. Click Do not dial the initial connection if the computer is permanently
connected to the Internet. If the computer connects to the Internet through
an Internet Service Provider (ISP), click Automatically dial this initial
connection, and then click the name of the connection to the ISP. Click Next.
7. Type the IP address or the host name of the VPN server computer (for
example, VPNServer.SampleDomain.com).
8. Click Anyone's use if you want to permit any user who logs on to the
workstation to have access to this dial-up connection. Click My use only if
you want this connection to be available only to the currently logged-on
user. Click Next.
9. Click Finish to save the connection.
10. Click Start, click Control Panel, and then click Network Connections.
11. Double-click the new connection.
12. Click Properties to continue to configure options for the connection. To
continue to configure options for the connection, follow these steps:
• If you are connecting to a domain, click the Options tab, and then click
to select the Include Windows logon domain check box to specify whether to
request Windows Server 2003 logon domain information before trying to
connect.
• If you want the connection to be redialed if the line is dropped, click
the Options tab, and then click to select the Redial if line is dropped check
box.

To use the connection, follow these steps: 1. Click Start, point to Connect
to, and then click the new connection.
2. If you do not currently have a connection to the Internet, Windows offers
to connect to the Internet.
3. When the connection to the Internet is made, the VPN server prompts you
for your user name and password. Type your user name and password, and then
click Connect.
Your network resources must be available to you in the same way they are
when you connect directly to the network.NOTE: To disconnect from the VPN,
right-click the connection icon, and then click Disconnect.




On the Desktop i used the create new connection wizard/Advanced
connection/Accept incoming connections/allow virtual private connections.

On both computers i have Icons telling me they are connected to each other.


Sorry to be a bit of a dunce
 
Have you seen these pages?

http://www.onecomputerguy.com/networking/xp_vpn_server.htm
http://www.onecomputerguy.com/networking/xp_vpn.htm

For this to work correctly both the client and server need to be on
different subnets. Meaning the server needs to be on 192.168.1.X and the
client on 192.168.2.X for example. Once you connect open up File Explorer on
the client and use the addressing scheme I outlined earlier.

If the server and laptop are not on the same subnet you may have problems
accessing shares.

--

Al Jarvi (MS-MVP Windows Networking)

Please post *ALL* questions and replies to the news group for the
mutual benefit of all of us...
The MS-MVP Program - http://mvp.support.microsoft.com
This posting is provided "AS IS" with no warranties, and confers no
rights...
 
Sooner Al said:
Have you seen these pages?

http://www.onecomputerguy.com/networking/xp_vpn_server.htm
http://www.onecomputerguy.com/networking/xp_vpn.htm

For this to work correctly both the client and server need to be on
different subnets. Meaning the server needs to be on 192.168.1.X and the
client on 192.168.2.X for example. Once you connect open up File Explorer
on the client and use the addressing scheme I outlined earlier.

If the server and laptop are not on the same subnet you may have problems
accessing shares.

--

Al Jarvi (MS-MVP Windows Networking)

Please post *ALL* questions and replies to the news group for the
mutual benefit of all of us...
The MS-MVP Program - http://mvp.support.microsoft.com
This posting is provided "AS IS" with no warranties, and confers no
rights...
Click to expand...


You are getting a login screen and successfully logging on the server from a
remote location, correct?

--

Al Jarvi (MS-MVP Windows Networking)

Please post *ALL* questions and replies to the news group for the
mutual benefit of all of us...
The MS-MVP Program - http://mvp.support.microsoft.com
This posting is provided "AS IS" with no warranties, and confers no
rights...
 
Hi

Yes i am getting a Login screen, and getting a successfully login, but all i
have to show for it is the Icons in the system tray, but all they are for is
Status,Connect/disconnect.

I am unable to understand one of your replies, below you state;

For this to work correctly both the client and server need to be on
And then you state;
If the server and laptop are not on the same subnet you may have problems
Can you tell me which is correct please.

Also which of the Hosts files do i have to alter, is it the Server's or the
client?

Thanks for any help with this.
 
loucypher said:
Hi

Yes i am getting a Login screen, and getting a successfully login, but all
i
have to show for it is the Icons in the system tray, but all they are for
is
Status,Connect/disconnect.

I am unable to understand one of your replies, below you state;

For this to work correctly both the client and server need to be on
And then you state;
If the server and laptop are not on the same subnet you may have problems
Can you tell me which is correct please.

Also which of the Hosts files do i have to alter, is it the Server's or
the
client?

Thanks for any help with this.
Click to expand...


The lmhosts file is on the client in the C:\Windows\system32\drivers\etc
folder...

Both statements are correct. For example... If your at a friends house with
your laptop and want to access your home VPN server you may have problems if
your friends network is using addresses in the 192.168.1.X range and your
home network is also using addresses in the 192.168.1.X range. Simply put
your client would try to access shares on a server with an address of
192.168.1.10 for example that may exist on the friends network.

The solution is that one or the other network needs to be configured
differently, so (for example) your home LAN is using 192.168.11.X while your
friends network is using 192.168.1.X...

Your VPN server should be configured to hand out an IP address to the VPN
client that is in the same subnet as you home network. This page has an
example of that. Its written for Vista but is basically the same for XP...

http://theillustratednetwork.mvps.org/Vista/PPTP/PPTPVPN.html
http://theillustratednetwork.mvps.org/Vista/PPTP/ExampleVistaVPNNetwork.html

--

Al Jarvi (MS-MVP Windows Networking)

Please post *ALL* questions and replies to the news group for the
mutual benefit of all of us...
The MS-MVP Program - http://mvp.support.microsoft.com
This posting is provided "AS IS" with no warranties, and confers no
rights...
 
HI

I have now changed my Server (Desktop) IP address range to 192.168.10.xx
The Client (Laptop) is in the 192.168.0.xx

The host's file on the client reads like this:
127.0.0.1 Localhost
192.168.10.97 dell8300


I still cannot see any files or folders.

Network Places/view workgroup computers, only the local machine is
available, this is true of both the Server and client machines.

Hope this is of help to you.

Thanks
 
loucypher said:
HI

I have now changed my Server (Desktop) IP address range to 192.168.10.xx
The Client (Laptop) is in the 192.168.0.xx

The host's file on the client reads like this:
127.0.0.1 Localhost
192.168.10.97 dell8300


I still cannot see any files or folders.

Network Places/view workgroup computers, only the local machine is
available, this is true of both the Server and client machines.

Hope this is of help to you.

Thanks
Click to expand...

So if you connect, from a remote location, to your VPN server what happens
if you type in the PC name and shared folder name in File Explorer. This
example is from a Vista box but will be the same for XP...

http://theillustratednetwork.mvps.org/Vista/PPTP/FileExplorer.jpg

Use the addressing forms as I noted in an earlier reply...

--

Al Jarvi (MS-MVP Windows Networking)

Please post *ALL* questions and replies to the news group for the
mutual benefit of all of us...
The MS-MVP Program - http://mvp.support.microsoft.com
This posting is provided "AS IS" with no warranties, and confers no
rights...
 
Hi
Forgot to add that i have checked the security settings for the folder i am
trying to access.

Thanks
 
loucypher said:
Hi

I can now see the folders, but am getting a User name/password login box
when i try to click on the folder.
The username is greyed out, only the password box is open!

We are almost there i can taste it, dont fail me now please!

Thanks
Click to expand...

You might look at Chuck's file sharing information for further help...

http://nitecruzr.blogspot.com/2005/06/file-sharing-under-windows-xp.html

Good luck...

--

Al Jarvi (MS-MVP Windows Networking)

Please post *ALL* questions and replies to the news group for the
mutual benefit of all of us...
The MS-MVP Program - http://mvp.support.microsoft.com
This posting is provided "AS IS" with no warranties, and confers no
rights...
 
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