VPN Network Neighbourhood / Name resolution

[Dan Williams]

We currently have our main office setup with SBS 2000 and it acts as the
domain controller, RAS server, DHCP server, DNS server, Exchange, ISA
firewall, etc.

We have several other branches across the UK who only have 3 computers in
each office. Each office has its own ADSL broadband connection and connects
to our server via a VPN connection to access Exchange email, office
documents, etc.

I've setup our networks with the following IP ranges:-

Main office - 192.168.0.1 - 192.168.0.255
Office 1 - 192.168.1.1 - 192.168.1.255
Office 2 - 192.168.2.1 - 192.168.2.255
Office 3 - 192.168.3.1 - 192.168.3.255
....etc.

Everything is working fine, except is it possible to get the external VPN
connected computers to register in the Network Neighbourhood list? They show
up fine in the Active Directory list. I can even do a search for an external
computer and find it no problem. Is it possible to force certain computers
to register in the Network Neighbourhood, or is this just a list of locally
connected PC's in the same subnet? Surely there must be a way to do this, as
large companies must have more than 255 computers showing in their list.

So i think basically what i'm asking is,

How do i get the network neighbourhood to show computers in a different
subnet?

I've assigned all our VPN users with static IP addresses, so depending on
what computer they log on to, they still get the same IP address. I think
this is so far how i've managed to ping external computers by name.

Would i have to change all the other offices IP ranges to be in the same
subnet for this to happen or is there a something else i can do (ie. DNS
hack)?

Also, do people think i've setup our network correctly, or should i have
done it a different way? Suggestions are must welcome.

Thanks in advance

Dan Williams.

 

[Brian Oakes [MSFT]]

This is all wins and browsing. So... are they all pointed to a central Wins
server? You need wins to local the DOMAIN[1bh] record which is the domain
master browser (also the pdc or pdc emulator). Without the centralized wins
structure this won't work.

Check out the following q-articles.

188305 Troubleshooting the Microsoft Computer Browser Service
http://support.microsoft.com/?id=188305

818092 Description of NetBIOS Browsing Console (Browcon.exe)
http://support.microsoft.com/?id=818092

Also...in some cases you can have a multihomed browser I.E. you PDC Emulator
is also you ras server, and that can be a problem as well.


--

Brian Oakes

This posting is provided "AS IS" with no warranties and confers no rights.
Please reply to the newsgroup so that others may benefit.

 

[Bill Grant]

As Brian pointed out, running your first or only server as a RAS server
can upset the browser operation. You should disable Netbios over TCP/IP on
all interfaces other than the LAN NIC. To disable this on the RRAS server's
"internal" RAS or VPN interface (which is allocated when any remote user
connects), you need to make a registry change.

to prevent Netbt on the RRAS interface.

Open Registry Editor.
Navigate to HKLM\System\CurrentControlSet\Services (continued next line)
\RemoteAccess\Parameters\Ip

Create a new REG_DWORD called DisableNetbiosOverTcpip
Set its value to 1