Mount Share through VPN

Ive got a client who has an XServ server (Panther Server) in the office and a Sonicwall TZ 170 firewall. Internet connection at the office is cable with 3.0Mb Down and 256k up. At home he has an eMac and a 17" Powerbook both running Panther with the latest updates. Internet connection at home is cable, 1.5Mb down 128k up. I purchased a program named VPN Tracker to establish a software VPN to the sonicwall which works great. VNC is on the server so the client can monitor backups from home. The problem I am having is giving the client access to his files on the server. He has created a folder (sharepoint) for himself and others for his employees to keep files so they get backed up every night. The client has 2.2GB of data in his folder alone. When I establish the VPN then click Go --> Connect To Server and try to mount the share, the computer locks up. After powering down the system manually I try to establish the VPN and the VPN has also locked up. I then have to cycle the power on the firewall to clear the VPN.

Ive only been working on Mac's for about 4 months so im not a mac head yet. I called a friend who is good with Apple and he confirmed my suspicion that when mounting a sharepoint, the computer trys to synchronize the sharepoint to the local hard drive, thus choking the cable connection and locking up. Ive tested this from my G4 at the office using a T1 and I get the same effect. In windows this wouldnt be an issue since windows doesnt try to sync the shared drive.

How can I get around this? Is there another way to mount sharepoints without syncing the data? The client has to have access to all files, so its not as simple as creating another shared folder with just a few documents that he needs.