Network Neighborhood Problem

[sprude27]

I have set up a VPN connection and I can access VPN server. When I go to Network Neighborhood on the client machine I can see all the computers on the LAN but I can't access them. I get the message, "computer or sharename missing". I can find all the computers by doing a search also, but I get the same message. What do I have to do to fix this problem. I'm sure it's something minor. Thanks.

VPN server (W2K Advance Server)
LAN computers (1)XP Pro, (1) W2K Pro, (1) Win98SE

Thanks for any help.

Stephen Prude
S & P Techs

 

[MattWray]

Have you tried pinging IPs, maybe a DNS prob... Matt Wray
CCNA, MCP
mwray77518@yahoo.com

 

[sprude27]

When you say ping the clients? Is that possible? They all have private IP addresses not seen on the WAN. What could be possible problems in DNS?

Thanks
Stephen Prude

 

[MattWray]

Right, when you connect to the VPN you are logically part of the LAN, and should have a private address yourself. That may also be part of the problem, if you're not getting an IP in the range of your network. Anyways, when your connected you can ping to the other machines ie, 192.168.1.x or whatever. If you can ping IPs and not names then you're not getting a DNS server on the network. Matt Wray
CCNA, MCP
mwray77518@yahoo.com

 

[Guest_imported]

(I use PIX firewalls for my VPNs. I have no experience with WIN2K but have some suggestions to try)

First try to connect to a resource through the VPN by UNC with IP of resource instead of computer name (example \\192.168.125\sharename. If this works then the packets are passing and you have a browser issue (probably not passing UDP which is need for Browsing in windows. you are most likely just getting the browse list from the VPN server with no real path to resources.

Second
If you have 2 NICs in the server:
Make sure they (the NICs) are on different subnets.
Also you might somehow be filtering TCP or UDP. Go to the IP sec settings and make sure you have "Permit all" selected. If this fixes the problem you can tighten the security incrementally later.
also make sure you have IP forwarding enabled.

If you have only 1 NIC:
One problem might also be if you are using only one NIC. I think a windows VPN server is designed to have two interfaces (one interface exposed to the outside and one interface on the inside). This way you can use the IP security features to allow only the traffic you want to pass in and out of your LAN. I think it is possible if you only have one NIC in the server that you are seeing the resources that the server sees but cannot access them because the server is unable to properly pass the packets.
The inside interface of your router and the Outside interface on the VPN server need to be on the same subnet and the inside interface on the VPN server and your LAN need to be on the same subnet but different from the outside interface of the VPN server for the VPN to pass packets properly

I hope this helps.

Regards,
Chip (Chip@chehost.com)