Windows Server 2003 VPN can't map drives to domain

Hello all. I am trying to setup a VPN connection to my business
computer (a Windows Server 2003 running Small Biz Edition) from my
home computer. I think I'm about 99% of the way there but need help
on 1 last thing.

First, the computer at home is setup to use a Workgroup (ex.
HomeWkGrp). Obviously, the comptuers at work are all setup to use the
work domain server (ex. WkServer running WkDomain).

I setup the firewall that is in front of my server an opened ports 42,
47, 500, 1701, 1723. (I wasn't sure about port 42 but I saw it
somewhere).

When I VPN from my home machine and type in username/pw, everything
seems to work fine (msg says "VPN Connected"). However, when I browse
the "My Network Places" on my home machine, I do NOT see the VPN
server/domain. Also, I have a script at work that automatically maps
certain shared drives when a client logs in and this doesn't happen
either.

I can, however, find the server on my home machine by doing a "Search
for Computer" in Explorer and typing in the server name (ex.
Wkserver). Once I find that, I can go into it and manually map the
drives correctly.

Other items: I can ping the server name from my home machine fine
after I VPN. Also, Exchange/Outlook 2003 seems to work just fine - I
can see all my public folders, etc...

My question: How can I get the domain/server to show up in "My
Network Places" when I VPN and how can I automatically map the correct
server shares when the VPN logs in.

Thanks in advance for the help!
Mike Smith

There are two separate problems here.

Your logon script doesn't run because making a VPN connection is not a
logon operation. You have already logged on locally before you connect! You
will need to use some other method to map your drives (such as a batch
file).

Browsing across a WAN is very tricky, especially if you are using a
simple client-server VPN. It is a bit easier on a LAN-to-LAN routed
connection. Probably easier to get your mapped drives working.

If you are using PPTP for VPN, you only need tcp port 1723 open. L2tp
uses udp (not tcp) ports 500 and 1701. Neither uses 42 or 47 (tcp or udp).
Perhaps you are confusing them with IP protocols 42 and 47 . PPTP needs IP
protocol 47 (GRE). No need to worry about it in your case. It is obviously
OK, or you wouldn't be able to connect.

"Mike Smith" <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote in message
news:(E-Mail Removed) m...
> Hello all. I am trying to setup a VPN connection to my business
> computer (a Windows Server 2003 running Small Biz Edition) from my
> home computer. I think I'm about 99% of the way there but need help
> on 1 last thing.
>
> First, the computer at home is setup to use a Workgroup (ex.
> HomeWkGrp). Obviously, the comptuers at work are all setup to use the
> work domain server (ex. WkServer running WkDomain).
>
> I setup the firewall that is in front of my server an opened ports 42,
> 47, 500, 1701, 1723. (I wasn't sure about port 42 but I saw it
> somewhere).
>
> When I VPN from my home machine and type in username/pw, everything
> seems to work fine (msg says "VPN Connected"). However, when I browse
> the "My Network Places" on my home machine, I do NOT see the VPN
> server/domain. Also, I have a script at work that automatically maps
> certain shared drives when a client logs in and this doesn't happen
> either.
>
> I can, however, find the server on my home machine by doing a "Search
> for Computer" in Explorer and typing in the server name (ex.
> Wkserver). Once I find that, I can go into it and manually map the
> drives correctly.
>
> Other items: I can ping the server name from my home machine fine
> after I VPN. Also, Exchange/Outlook 2003 seems to work just fine - I
> can see all my public folders, etc...
>
> My question: How can I get the domain/server to show up in "My
> Network Places" when I VPN and how can I automatically map the correct
> server shares when the VPN logs in.
>
> Thanks in advance for the help!
> Mike Smith