VPN tunnel to Remote Desktop Connection

[Ken]

I've been reading the posts and I am reluctant to routinely establish RDC
without VPN first. I can set up both from home to the office (not
concurrently) , but not RDC through VPN, yet. I use the same server NIC to
connect to either, and I am assuming i cannot use the same server NIC IP
addresses to have VPN and an RDC sessions concurrently. I have setup the
VPN to run on the office LAN (behind the router) to test it, and it works
fine. To do this I used the same IP address for the server NIC as I use for
the VPN from offsite. Question: If I want to use the same box to serve as
VPN host and host to "behind the router" RDC session, can this be done with
using the same server NIC IP addresses for both VPN and "behind the router"
RDC session OR would I need to install another NIC on the VPN server to host
the RDC? If option 1 is possible, how can it be done, TIA

Ken

 

[Jeffrey Randow (MVP)]

You should be able to VPN and RD at the same time. VPN to the
"Public" address and RD to the "private" IP address.

Jeffrey Randow (Windows Networking & Smart Display MVP)
(e-mail address removed)

Please post all responses to the newsgroups for the benefit
of all USENET users. Messages sent via email may or may not
be answered depending on time availability....

Remote Networking Technology Support Site -
http://www.remotenetworktechnology.com
Windows XP Expert Zone - http://www.microsoft.com/windowsxp/expertzone

 

[Ken]

Thanks Jeff,

Here's how I have it setup

The VPN /RD host is an XPro (one vpn/rdp client) at a time

1) VPN to Public IP of work router
2) Work Router Port 1723 is forwarded to Private IP of VPN host at work
3) Once on the VPN host, I get to the RD shortcut and try to lanch RD.
My RD host Private IP is the same private IP that 1723 if forwarded to
for public VPN

4) When I try this all "behind the router" at work, I get a message that I
already have a session on the host

So, I suspect, that when I try this from an offsite client I will get the
same message.

Will this problem go away with upgrading to Winserv 2003 or can I add one of
the spare nics i have and create another subnet?

 

[Jeffrey Randow (MVP)]

First, don't VPN from behind the router to your network... Bad things
tend to happen when you do this... (i.e., you will have two IP
addresses on the same network...)

What happens when you just Remote Desktop to the IP of the machine
from another computer on your LAN? Post any error messages...

Jeffrey Randow (Windows Networking & Smart Display MVP)
(e-mail address removed)

Please post all responses to the newsgroups for the benefit
of all USENET users. Messages sent via email may or may not
be answered depending on time availability....

Remote Networking Technology Support Site -
http://www.remotenetworktechnology.com
Windows XP Expert Zone - http://www.microsoft.com/windowsxp/expertzone

 

[Ken]

Yeah...Jeff...I realize the 'local' vpn "behind the router"would be a little
risky, however, I did find out what I was doing wrong.
Once the (offsite) vpn connection was established, I tried to run RD from
the remote (at work) server;'s C:\drive..(or desktop shortcut) didn't work.

Instead, I started RD from the my home client after the VPN was connected.
Since the vpn connection provides my homebased client with a private IP from
the LAN at work, say xxx.xxx.0.120. The vpn server private LAN IP and the
RD server private LAN IP can be the same without any logon conflicts.

Example 1) VPN to 2XX.2YY.1zz.45 (Work Router Static, Public) IP 2) Port
1723 in router forward to xxx.xxx.5.153 (Private IP Work Lan VPN server)

3) RD started on Home client using xxx.xxx.5.153 (same box)as RD Work LAN
IP. Home client is connected to same box at work via vpn and RD. Only one
server at work is used. Works like a charm. Thanks for your help

I do have another small problem though, when connected via vpn only, I
cannot browse the other work clients from Net Neighborhood, nor can I reach
them by using \\computername. I have to use \\privateip from the Windows
Explorer address bar. I don't have a problem with doing it, but the
"GEEK-wise challenged" who'll also use the connection will. What do I do to
fix this?

Thanks

 

[Jeffrey Randow (MVP)]

As per your last question - unfortunately this is as designed...
Browsing through Network Neighborhood or using machine names reliably
requires either (1) a WINS/DNS Server or (2) broadcast name resolution
enabled. At the present time, XP based VPNs supports neither of these
things.

Jeffrey Randow (Windows Networking & Smart Display MVP)
(e-mail address removed)

Please post all responses to the newsgroups for the benefit
of all USENET users. Messages sent via email may or may not
be answered depending on time availability....

Remote Networking Technology Support Site -
http://www.remotenetworktechnology.com
Windows XP Expert Zone - http://www.microsoft.com/windowsxp/expertzone