Server 2003 VPN remote login problems (client side) 1

[monkeyskull]

Hi.
I've just set up a 2003 server for a client and it's working fine locally.

I've set up a vpn server on it so the users can access shared resources from home offices etc.

Clients, when they make a new network connection and pop in the right IP can log onto the vpn server, but can't see the remote netowrk.

No remote computers, no shared resources.

The login accounts do indeed have permissions set to view the network/shared resources.

Could it be a certificate problem?

Thanks for your help!

 

[dk87]

If you are referring to "Network Neighborhood" or "My Network places", the reason they can't see the resources is inherent in Windows. When the machine is turned on at home, it will look for a master browser. Not finding one, it will elect itself as the master, and then not look for the master for 15-45 more minutes. Provided that you are allowing all the right ports, you have WINS and DNS setup properly, and have patient users, if you wait long enough, you will see everything as if connected locally. Although you can set up HOSTS and LMHOSTS files, they will be of limited help, in that you can have mappings to the machines but you still won't see them in the hood.

 

[monkeyskull]

Thanks much! That explains why, while testing I would always have it up after futzing with it for 1/2 an hour but never when I tried to replicate the work from the remote location.

A work-around I found for accessing shares on the vpn server, is to, after logging in with the vpn, use the "find computer" tool to search up the IP of the vpn logon box. When it shows up, the credentials from the VPN connection let me right in and I have acess to those shares.

I map those shares to my client's desktop so now when the VPN is connected the user has the shares. I can see this not working if someone wants to get deeper into the network, but luckily I now know how to do that too.

Again, thanks for the help!