VPN Settup

[David Maggard]

Can Someone tell me if this is possible and if so how?

I have a non-AD Win2K Server with Broadband Internet with RRAS installed
with user accounts for the VPN users and a simple pest control customer
managment network app installed.

I have remote computers with Dialup connections with OS's ranging from 98,
98 SE, ME, and XP (and possibly a 95).

I need to get VPN(PPTP) setup where they connect to win2k and map a drive
(did this b4 with a batch file that ran the vpn connection and.then mapped
the drive using 'net use')

I am currently trying to get it setup on the xp machine, and have the VPN
connecting, but I can't see the share on win2k.
Do I have to install Active Directory on the win2K(the only other VPN I have
setup was AD with both pcs running win2000 using certs for auth)?
Are there permission issues I am missing?
Will I need to make the local account names match on the client & server or
will it work with just the vpn login info(and Username & Password in the
batch file)?
Are their any good docs on setting up a vpn for old clients like this?

 

[Bill Grant]

First things first. You do not have to install Active Directory. Remote
clients do not need to be domain members to access resources, even if you
are running AD. But they must have valid credentials to access resouces,
whether you use AD or not.

There are at least three separate things to consider.

1. Making a VPN connection just gives you an IP connection. It does not
automatically give you a login or name resolution. And it doesn't give you
file access.

2. Name resolution. The VPN does not carry broadcasts, so you can't resolve
names to IP addresses by broadcast. If you are not running DNS or WINS on
the LAN, you will need to add HOSTS or LMHOSTS files to the remote clients,
with entries for all machines on the LAN you need to access by name.

3. Credentials. To access files on LAN machines, the clients will need
credentials which are valid on that machine. In a domain setup, valid domain
credentials give you access to any resouces in the domain. Without a domain
setup, you need credentials which are valid on the machine's local SAM
database. If the clients have done a local login before they make the VPN
connection, these credentials will be used to try to access the remote
resources.

All the OSs you mention behave differently. It is largely a matter of
trial and error to get each one working. Make sure the W9x machines have the
latest version of dialup networking installed.

 

[Dave]

--Quote-------------

2. Name resolution. The VPN does not carry broadcasts, so you can't resolve
names to IP addresses by broadcast. If you are not running DNS or WINS on
the LAN, you will need to add HOSTS or LMHOSTS files to the remote clients,
with entries for all machines on the LAN you need to access by name.
---------------------

How do you do this?

I am using copies on WinXP Home.
one at home and the other in work.

From what you have written i can see why i can connect but get no access to
the machines.

Thanks for any help

Dave

 

[Bill Grant]

HOSTS and LMHOSTS are simple files which contain a list of names and
addresses. They enable the client machine to look up a name and get its IP
address when DNS or WINS is not available.

Most client machines will already have a sample file set up. Just do a
search for HOSTS or LMHOSTS. HOSTS uses a format similar to DNS, while
LMHOSTS uses Netbios names.

When you edit one of these files, make sure you save it exactly as it
was - ie a simple file with no extension. The system will nor recognise it
if it has a .txt ot .dat extension.