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16spam16Flag for United States of America

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VNP cannot see Server shares

I have a simple PPTP VPN setup between my Home PC and my Work PC
I am able to connect, and ping the server...but I can not see any of the shares.
Here are the details.

VPN Server
Vista Pro
192.168.1.120

VPN Client
XP Pro SP3
192.168.1.121

On the client side...I do not have anything in the DNS or WINS section. (should I?)

On the Client, when i goto windows explorer and do \\192.168.1.120\<share name>
If i do the same with \\192.168.1.121\ I see my Client shared drives.

Windows says it is not found.  even though i can ping .120

On the server i have disable the windows firewall.

I have searched the internet and there has bee many discussions on this but I cant seem to find a solution for my situation.

any suggestions would be great.

Thank you in advance.
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John
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Put the name of your work machine along with its IP address in your local Hosts file. See the example in the Hosts file itself. Hosts is in windows\system32\drivers\etc
... Thinkpads_User
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ASKER

"work machine along with its IP address in your local Hosts file"

when you say local, do you mean on the VPN client or VPN Server?
For local, I meant your Home machine (not the Work machine). ... Thinkpads_User
My work computer name is WORK5 and its VPN IP is 192.168.1.121....


I did it and it still doesnt want to find it.

Here is the code from my HOST file
# Copyright (c) 1993-2006 Microsoft Corp.
#
# This is a sample HOSTS file used by Microsoft TCP/IP for Windows.
#
# This file contains the mappings of IP addresses to host names. Each
# entry should be kept on an individual line. The IP address should
# be placed in the first column followed by the corresponding host name.
# The IP address and the host name should be separated by at least one
# space.
#
# Additionally, comments (such as these) may be inserted on individual
# lines or following the machine name denoted by a '#' symbol.
#
# For example:
#
#      102.54.94.97     rhino.acme.com          # source server
#       38.25.63.10     x.acme.com              # x client host

127.0.0.1       localhost
192.168.1.121	WORK5

Open in new window

now do I need to put the IP of the PPP Adapter on the Client (192.168.1.121) or the LAN connection b/c that is 192.168.254.54
If the IP address shown above (192.168.1.121) is the address of WORKS, then that should do it. That is precisely how I address the (several) client servers I communicate with.

However, I just realized that HOME and WORKS are on the same subnet (192.168.1.x). For you to be able to see and browse the other machine, they need to be on different subnets.

... Thinkpads_User
well on the HOME (VPN server....I set the range of IPs to use....i set them to 192.168.1.120, 121

Should I change that to something else? like 192.168.2.121 ?
Yes - change one location to x.y.2.z and the other to x.y.1.n and see if that works (it should).
... Thinkpads_User
well on the VPN server I made the IP range 192.168.2.120-121
and then i changed the HOSTS file to reflect the change.
i still connect with no problem, and I can ping both....but still no shares.
So client is 192.168.1 and is XP and the server is 192.168.2

Can you map a drive on the server as \\192.168.2.120\C$ ? If it is a simple DNS issue, then mapping by IP address should work.

In addition, Vista has network setups in (1) Network -> Properties (check through those settings) and (2) Windows Explorer (probably turn off network sharing wizard).

... Thinkpads_User
I has to be something dealing with DNS.

Now I am able to be on the VPN Server and do \\192.168.2.121, windows asks me for my user name and pass b/c my work PC is on a domain, so i punched in the info and it worked...but not the other way around.

this
\\192.168.2.120
doesnt even work on the VPN server.

So there must be something on my VPN Server (Vista Pro) that is incorrect or missing.
Why do you have 2 IP addresses for one machine? If you can get to the Vista machine (from XP) and access \\192.168.2.121, then that is your Vista machine. What then is \\192.168.2.120?

I assume the XP machine is still on the .1 subnet.

... Thinkpads_User
i think I confused you.

I connected the XP (client) to the Vista (server) via VPN.

The client has an IP of 192.168.2.121
The server has an IP of 192.168.2.120

120-121 were set by me on the Vista in the VPN connection settings....i set the IP range for incoming connections.

WAIT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I just tried something....

on the XP computer i tried using the actual IP on my server on my home network...not the IP on VPN....

\\192.168.1.101

worked.
 SON OF A B...

Thank you for helping me chatting/walking this out.
Thanks Now I have a different issue.......permissions...
I share 3 drives
C
D
F

F works fine.

C, D say I dont have permissions....I am just double checking, but I beleive they are the same as F...but that isnt your problem.

Thanks
One final followup question....

On the XP VPN Client....When I connect to my VPN....I lose the ability to browse the web...then when i disconnect browsing is normal....is there a setting on the client to fix that?
Simple PPTP VPN does not allow split tunneling, so the browsing issue (no browse when connected) is normal and by design for that application, so I do not think there is a fix for that.

I use IPSec VPN (which readily permits split tunneling) but is more complicated to set up.
... Thinkpads_User
Well on the XP client VPN connection.....on the Advanced TCP/IP Settings Form...on the General tab, there is a checkbox "Use default gateway on remote network"

If I check that then I can browse \\192.168.1.101 , but have no internet

Unchecked I cannot browse \\192.168.1.101 , but have internet

So using PPTP VPN i cannot have both?
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John
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You were more than helpful. I was able to setup this VPN, and I just completed a VPN from Work to Home...If I have to disconnect to browse the internet...then so be it, not a bad trade off for as easy a setting up a PPTP VPN.

Wonderful advice.

Thank you.
Thank you, ... Thinkpads_User