Help...VPN client can't map drive to shared folder on Win Server 2008

Hi...what is the magic to getting a VPN client to have access to (map
a drive) to a shared folder on Windows Server 2008? I can't seem to
figure out what configuration settings I need on the server to
accomplish this. I just want the VPN client to be able to map a drive
to a shared folder once that client is authenticated and connected to
the server via VPN. Thanks a bunch for your help!

There is nothing magic about it. The most common problem is that people
assume that setting up a VPN connection logs them into the domain. It
doesn't. It simply sets up an IP connection to the remote access server.

<(E-Mail Removed)> wrote in message
news:64b5787b-e152-4c32-8c56-(E-Mail Removed)...
> Hi...what is the magic to getting a VPN client to have access to (map
> a drive) to a shared folder on Windows Server 2008? I can't seem to
> figure out what configuration settings I need on the server to
> accomplish this. I just want the VPN client to be able to map a drive
> to a shared folder once that client is authenticated and connected to
> the server via VPN. Thanks a bunch for your help!

On Mar 24, 4:35*am, "Bill Grant" <not.available@online> wrote:
> * *There is nothing magic about it. The most common problem is that people
> assume that setting up a VPN connection logs them into the domain. It
> doesn't. It simply sets up an IP connection to the remote access server.
>
> <idoublepr...@gmail.com> wrote in message
>
> news:64b5787b-e152-4c32-8c56-(E-Mail Removed)...
>
>
>
> > Hi...what is the magic to getting a VPN client to have access to (map
> > a drive) to a shared folder on Windows Server 2008? *I can't seem to
> > figure out what configuration settings I need on the server to
> > accomplish this. *I just want the VPN client to be able to map a drive
> > to a shared folder once that client is authenticated and connected to
> > the server via VPN. *Thanks a bunch for your help!- Hide quoted text -
>
> - Show quoted text -

Thanks for replying. I just want to share a folder on that remote
access server. Basically, I have VSS loaded on that server and I want
to share the VSS folder containing the VSS database so that I can
connect to it at the VPN client computer. I've tried just about
everything including turning off the firewall to see if I can map a
drive from the VPN client to that shared folder on the server but no
luck. I've looked at both the NTFS and share permissions...no luck
there either...Seems like if I can make a VPN connection to that
server that I can get access to a share on that computer...must be
something simple that I'm just overlooking. Any suggestions or help
here from anyone would really be appreciated. I can't believe I'm
burning the midnight oil on trying to get a network share
going....ouch...

The basic problem will be your credentials. When you do a login on a LAN,
you normally log into the local domain or at least you are in the same
workgroup as the server.

When you connect by VPN you have already done a local login, and these
are the credentials which will be used for file access.

As long as you can see the share using net view, you can access it from
the remote client using a net use command where you can specify the username
and password in the command.

<(E-Mail Removed)> wrote in message
news:4ce02e8b-9fc2-45b8-a18b-(E-Mail Removed)...
On Mar 24, 4:35 am, "Bill Grant" <not.available@online> wrote:
> There is nothing magic about it. The most common problem is that people
> assume that setting up a VPN connection logs them into the domain. It
> doesn't. It simply sets up an IP connection to the remote access server.
>
> <idoublepr...@gmail.com> wrote in message
>
> news:64b5787b-e152-4c32-8c56-(E-Mail Removed)...
>
>
>
> > Hi...what is the magic to getting a VPN client to have access to (map
> > a drive) to a shared folder on Windows Server 2008? I can't seem to
> > figure out what configuration settings I need on the server to
> > accomplish this. I just want the VPN client to be able to map a drive
> > to a shared folder once that client is authenticated and connected to
> > the server via VPN. Thanks a bunch for your help!- Hide quoted text -
>
> - Show quoted text -

Thanks for replying. I just want to share a folder on that remote
access server. Basically, I have VSS loaded on that server and I want
to share the VSS folder containing the VSS database so that I can
connect to it at the VPN client computer. I've tried just about
everything including turning off the firewall to see if I can map a
drive from the VPN client to that shared folder on the server but no
luck. I've looked at both the NTFS and share permissions...no luck
there either...Seems like if I can make a VPN connection to that
server that I can get access to a share on that computer...must be
something simple that I'm just overlooking. Any suggestions or help
here from anyone would really be appreciated. I can't believe I'm
burning the midnight oil on trying to get a network share
going....ouch...

On Mar 24, 7:05*pm, "Bill Grant" <not.available@online> wrote:
> * *The basic problem will be your credentials. When you do a login on a LAN,
> you normally log into the local domain or at least you are in the same
> workgroup as the server.
>
> * * When you connect by VPN you have already done a local login, and these
> are the credentials which will be used for file access.
>
> * * As long as you can see the share using net view, you can access itfrom
> the remote client using a net use command where you can specify the username
> and password in the command.
>
> <idoublepr...@gmail.com> wrote in message
>
> news:4ce02e8b-9fc2-45b8-a18b-(E-Mail Removed)...
> On Mar 24, 4:35 am, "Bill Grant" <not.available@online> wrote:
>
>
>
>
>
> > There is nothing magic about it. The most common problem is that people
> > assume that setting up a VPN connection logs them into the domain. It
> > doesn't. It simply sets up an IP connection to the remote access server.
>
> > <idoublepr...@gmail.com> wrote in message
>
> >news:64b5787b-e152-4c32-8c56-(E-Mail Removed)...
>
> > > Hi...what is the magic to getting a VPN client to have access to (map
> > > a drive) to a shared folder on Windows Server 2008? I can't seem to
> > > figure out what configuration settings I need on the server to
> > > accomplish this. I just want the VPN client to be able to map a drive
> > > to a shared folder once that client is authenticated and connected to
> > > the server via VPN. Thanks a bunch for your help!- Hide quoted text -
>
> > - Show quoted text -
>
> Thanks for replying. *I just want to share a folder on that remote
> access server. *Basically, I have VSS loaded on that server and I want
> to share the VSS folder containing the VSS database so that I can
> connect to it at the VPN client computer. *I've tried just about
> everything including turning off the firewall to see if I can map a
> drive from the VPN client to that shared folder on the server but no
> luck. *I've looked at both the NTFS and share permissions...no luck
> there either...Seems like if I can make a VPN connection to that
> server that I can get access to a share on that computer...must be
> something simple that I'm just overlooking. *Any suggestions or help
> here from anyone would really be appreciated. *I can't believe I'm
> burning the midnight oil on trying to get a network share
> going....ouch...- Hide quoted text -
>
> - Show quoted text -

I've configured the VPN server (Server 2008) to assign IP addresses in
a specific range (e.g. 100.100.100.100 to 100.100.100.200) to VPN
clients. With this the server's IP address is 100.100.100.100 and the
first VPN client's IP address is 100.100.100.101. I can ping the
server at 100.100.100.100. I can also connect via Remote Desktop to
the server at the 100.100.100.100 address from the VPN client once I'm
connected via VPN. But I can't map to the shared folder (e.g. \
\100.100.100.100\vss_db). Net View along with Net Use errors with
System Error 53. I checked the credentials (NTFS permissions and
Share permissions) and I have specified same user account used for the
VPN login. Were you referring to something else as far as
credentials? Is there any issue with the fact that the Server and the
Client are on the same subnet (e.g. 192.168.0.x....i.e. the VPN Client
(192.168.0.6) dials up the server at 192.168.0.7)? I wanted to
configure and test stuff before putting the server onto the
"real" (internet) network. Thanks for trying to help here.

<(E-Mail Removed)> wrote in message
news:62f1bef5-bbe8-4f13-acd0-(E-Mail Removed)...
On Mar 24, 7:05 pm, "Bill Grant" <not.available@online> wrote:
> The basic problem will be your credentials. When you do a login on a LAN,
> you normally log into the local domain or at least you are in the same
> workgroup as the server.
>
> When you connect by VPN you have already done a local login, and these
> are the credentials which will be used for file access.
>
> As long as you can see the share using net view, you can access it from
> the remote client using a net use command where you can specify the
> username
> and password in the command.
>
> <idoublepr...@gmail.com> wrote in message
>
> news:4ce02e8b-9fc2-45b8-a18b-(E-Mail Removed)...
> On Mar 24, 4:35 am, "Bill Grant" <not.available@online> wrote:
>
>
>
>
>
> > There is nothing magic about it. The most common problem is that people
> > assume that setting up a VPN connection logs them into the domain. It
> > doesn't. It simply sets up an IP connection to the remote access server.
>
> > <idoublepr...@gmail.com> wrote in message
>
> >news:64b5787b-e152-4c32-8c56-(E-Mail Removed)...
>
> > > Hi...what is the magic to getting a VPN client to have access to (map
> > > a drive) to a shared folder on Windows Server 2008? I can't seem to
> > > figure out what configuration settings I need on the server to
> > > accomplish this. I just want the VPN client to be able to map a drive
> > > to a shared folder once that client is authenticated and connected to
> > > the server via VPN. Thanks a bunch for your help!- Hide quoted text -
>
> > - Show quoted text -
>
> Thanks for replying. I just want to share a folder on that remote
> access server. Basically, I have VSS loaded on that server and I want
> to share the VSS folder containing the VSS database so that I can
> connect to it at the VPN client computer. I've tried just about
> everything including turning off the firewall to see if I can map a
> drive from the VPN client to that shared folder on the server but no
> luck. I've looked at both the NTFS and share permissions...no luck
> there either...Seems like if I can make a VPN connection to that
> server that I can get access to a share on that computer...must be
> something simple that I'm just overlooking. Any suggestions or help
> here from anyone would really be appreciated. I can't believe I'm
> burning the midnight oil on trying to get a network share
> going....ouch...- Hide quoted text -
>
> - Show quoted text -

I've configured the VPN server (Server 2008) to assign IP addresses in
a specific range (e.g. 100.100.100.100 to 100.100.100.200) to VPN
clients. With this the server's IP address is 100.100.100.100 and the
first VPN client's IP address is 100.100.100.101. I can ping the
server at 100.100.100.100. I can also connect via Remote Desktop to
the server at the 100.100.100.100 address from the VPN client once I'm
connected via VPN. But I can't map to the shared folder (e.g. \
\100.100.100.100\vss_db). Net View along with Net Use errors with
System Error 53. I checked the credentials (NTFS permissions and
Share permissions) and I have specified same user account used for the
VPN login. Were you referring to something else as far as
credentials? Is there any issue with the fact that the Server and the
Client are on the same subnet (e.g. 192.168.0.x....i.e. the VPN Client
(192.168.0.6) dials up the server at 192.168.0.7)? I wanted to
configure and test stuff before putting the server onto the
"real" (internet) network. Thanks for trying to help here.

You won't be able to browse to shares using the computer browser service
because that depends on broadcasts. Also your client probably isn't in the
right workgroup/domain. You should be able to see the share using "net view
\\servername" and then map it using "net use z: \\servername\sharename"

On Mar 24, 10:42*pm, "Bill Grant" <not.available@online> wrote:
> <idoublepr...@gmail.com> wrote in message
>
> news:62f1bef5-bbe8-4f13-acd0-(E-Mail Removed)...
> On Mar 24, 7:05 pm, "Bill Grant" <not.available@online> wrote:
>
>
>
>
>
> > The basic problem will be your credentials. When you do a login on a LAN,
> > you normally log into the local domain or at least you are in the same
> > workgroup as the server.
>
> > When you connect by VPN you have already done a local login, and these
> > are the credentials which will be used for file access.
>
> > As long as you can see the share using net view, you can access it from
> > the remote client using a net use command where you can specify the
> > username
> > and password in the command.
>
> > <idoublepr...@gmail.com> wrote in message
>
> >news:4ce02e8b-9fc2-45b8-a18b-(E-Mail Removed)...
> > On Mar 24, 4:35 am, "Bill Grant" <not.available@online> wrote:
>
> > > There is nothing magic about it. The most common problem is that people
> > > assume that setting up a VPN connection logs them into the domain. It
> > > doesn't. It simply sets up an IP connection to the remote access server.
>
> > > <idoublepr...@gmail.com> wrote in message
>
> > >news:64b5787b-e152-4c32-8c56-(E-Mail Removed)...
>
> > > > Hi...what is the magic to getting a VPN client to have access to (map
> > > > a drive) to a shared folder on Windows Server 2008? I can't seem to
> > > > figure out what configuration settings I need on the server to
> > > > accomplish this. I just want the VPN client to be able to map a drive
> > > > to a shared folder once that client is authenticated and connected to
> > > > the server via VPN. Thanks a bunch for your help!- Hide quoted text -
>
> > > - Show quoted text -
>
> > Thanks for replying. I just want to share a folder on that remote
> > access server. Basically, I have VSS loaded on that server and I want
> > to share the VSS folder containing the VSS database so that I can
> > connect to it at the VPN client computer. I've tried just about
> > everything including turning off the firewall to see if I can map a
> > drive from the VPN client to that shared folder on the server but no
> > luck. I've looked at both the NTFS and share permissions...no luck
> > there either...Seems like if I can make a VPN connection to that
> > server that I can get access to a share on that computer...must be
> > something simple that I'm just overlooking. Any suggestions or help
> > here from anyone would really be appreciated. I can't believe I'm
> > burning the midnight oil on trying to get a network share
> > going....ouch...- Hide quoted text -
>
> > - Show quoted text -
>
> I've configured the VPN server (Server 2008) to assign IP addresses in
> a specific range (e.g. 100.100.100.100 to 100.100.100.200) to VPN
> clients. *With this the server's IP address is 100.100.100.100 and the
> first VPN client's IP address is 100.100.100.101. *I can ping the
> server at 100.100.100.100. *I can also connect via Remote Desktop to
> the server at the 100.100.100.100 address from the VPN client once I'm
> connected via VPN. *But I can't map to the shared folder (e.g. \
> \100.100.100.100\vss_db). *Net View along with Net Use errors with
> System Error 53. *I checked the credentials (NTFS permissions and
> Share permissions) and I have specified same user account used for the
> VPN login. *Were you referring to something else as far as
> credentials? *Is there any issue with the fact that the Server and the
> Client are on the same subnet (e.g. 192.168.0.x....i.e. the VPN Client
> (192.168.0.6) dials up the server at 192.168.0.7)? *I wanted to
> configure and test stuff before putting the server onto the
> "real" (internet) network. *Thanks for trying to help here.
>
> * You won't be able to browse to shares using the computer browser service
> because that depends on broadcasts. Also your client probably isn't in the
> right workgroup/domain. You should be able to see the share using "net view
> \\servername" and then map it using "net use z: \\servername\sharename"- Hide quoted text -
>
> - Show quoted text -

Yes, I tried "net view \\100.100.100.100" and "net use * \
\100.100.100.100\vss_db" and both returned System Error 53. I can
ping 100.100.100.100 fine and I can remote desktop to it. What in the
world can I be missing here? I don't remember Win Server 2003 being
this finicky....

i have the same problem and i also believe that must be some magic
i have ping on ip but i cant browse the network or ping netbios
the firewall is setup to allow file and print sharing but ..... vista
diagnose that port 445 is closed.
this vpn server was a 2003 one, i just upgraded to 2008. i also tryied on a
clean install. same problem.


"(E-Mail Removed)" wrote:

> Hi...what is the magic to getting a VPN client to have access to (map
> a drive) to a shared folder on Windows Server 2008? I can't seem to
> figure out what configuration settings I need on the server to
> accomplish this. I just want the VPN client to be able to map a drive
> to a shared folder once that client is authenticated and connected to
> the server via VPN. Thanks a bunch for your help!
>

Browsing is unlikely to work with a VPN connection. The browser service
uses broadcasts, and these don't cross routers or WAN links. Even if WINS is
running on the LAN and the remote client gets the correct WINS address,
browsing usually fails. This is because the remote client usually isn't a
domain member so doesn't know what name to use for the master browser.

You should be able to use DNS for name resolution. Can you resolve a
server on the LAN using the FQDN? If not, check that the remote client is
receiving the correct DNS address at connection time.

If you can resolve by FQDN, adding the correct domain suffix to the
client's connection properties should let you resolve names using just the
server name.

The server firewall settings should have no effect on remote clients.
When the packet goes through the firewall it is still encapsulated and
encrypted. All the firewall sees is the PPTP or IPSec header.

"Sergiu" <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote in message
news:B4228650-909C-46A6-A73D-(E-Mail Removed)...
>i have the same problem and i also believe that must be some magic
> i have ping on ip but i cant browse the network or ping netbios
> the firewall is setup to allow file and print sharing but ..... vista
> diagnose that port 445 is closed.
> this vpn server was a 2003 one, i just upgraded to 2008. i also tryied on
> a
> clean install. same problem.
>
>
> "(E-Mail Removed)" wrote:
>
>> Hi...what is the magic to getting a VPN client to have access to (map
>> a drive) to a shared folder on Windows Server 2008? I can't seem to
>> figure out what configuration settings I need on the server to
>> accomplish this. I just want the VPN client to be able to map a drive
>> to a shared folder once that client is authenticated and connected to
>> the server via VPN. Thanks a bunch for your help!
>>

thank you for your help Bill, but you are not helping at all
now talking server 2003 scenario, VPN connection are very likely to run with
browsing because i used this scenario for over 1 year. you just configure
routing and remote access service to act as a vpn remote access server. after
you connect you just open an explorer window and type \\servername and youll
see all the shares.
for your information, in IPv4 proprieties tab there's a check box "enable
broadcast name resolution", and here we are talking about a tunel, a virtual
private network witch has nothing to do with routers and wan links after the
connection was made.

the firewall will block a pachet no matter how encripted or clear text that
packet is. if i block port 500, no connection will be made on that port. what
you are talking about is statefull inspection and it refers to the content of
the load.

in my description i didnt mention a domain. the server is a standalone
server, and has no routing configured. just remote access server.

returning now to server 2008, i used the same steps and something is wrong.

to convince yourself, you can install and configure this scenario in 2003 to
see that is working and after in 2008 to see the diference.

thank you




"Bill Grant" wrote:

> Browsing is unlikely to work with a VPN connection. The browser service
> uses broadcasts, and these don't cross routers or WAN links. Even if WINS is
> running on the LAN and the remote client gets the correct WINS address,
> browsing usually fails. This is because the remote client usually isn't a
> domain member so doesn't know what name to use for the master browser.
>
> You should be able to use DNS for name resolution. Can you resolve a
> server on the LAN using the FQDN? If not, check that the remote client is
> receiving the correct DNS address at connection time.
>
> If you can resolve by FQDN, adding the correct domain suffix to the
> client's connection properties should let you resolve names using just the
> server name.
>
> The server firewall settings should have no effect on remote clients.
> When the packet goes through the firewall it is still encapsulated and
> encrypted. All the firewall sees is the PPTP or IPSec header.
>
> "Sergiu" <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote in message
> news:B4228650-909C-46A6-A73D-(E-Mail Removed)...
> >i have the same problem and i also believe that must be some magic
> > i have ping on ip but i cant browse the network or ping netbios
> > the firewall is setup to allow file and print sharing but ..... vista
> > diagnose that port 445 is closed.
> > this vpn server was a 2003 one, i just upgraded to 2008. i also tryied on
> > a
> > clean install. same problem.
> >
> >
> > "(E-Mail Removed)" wrote:
> >
> >> Hi...what is the magic to getting a VPN client to have access to (map
> >> a drive) to a shared folder on Windows Server 2008? I can't seem to
> >> figure out what configuration settings I need on the server to
> >> accomplish this. I just want the VPN client to be able to map a drive
> >> to a shared folder once that client is authenticated and connected to
> >> the server via VPN. Thanks a bunch for your help!
> >>
>
>