WINS VPN problem

I am running RAS on a W2K server and am having some problems with browsing
over the VPN by computer name. Some clients can do it and other's can't.

For instance, one client can connect to the VPN and do a \\computer_name and
get to COMPUTER_NAME's shared folders with no problem. Another client
connecting to the same RAS server, can't, but can do it by performing
\\computer_IP

I have the DHCP server set to give out the WINS server address and I know
it's working somewhat because the workstation that can do it by name has the
WINS server IP address in the IPCONFIG data. The one that cannot connect by
name doesn't have it there. Now why would one machine have it and another
wouldn't? They are both connecting to the same server?

any and all advice and suggestions appreciated.

TB
remove NOSPAM to reply via email

The good one probably already had the WINS server manually entered into the
Dialup settings and the other did not. Hence you might think the good one
was getting WINS from DHCP when it really wasn't. You can also manually put
the WINS Server in there on purpose to see if WINS even cures the problem to
begin with. For that matter you can put all manual settings in there to
verify VPN functionality first before you switch to depend on DHCP.

Use IPCONFIG /ALL Make sure it is the "VPN dialup adapter" you are looking
at and not the network card. This will also show which DHCP server was used
(if any).

Then lastly, double check the DHCP Scope to make sure the Options you want
are really listed there. I have multiple DHCP Servers and multiple scopes
on ours and it is easy to look at the wrong one and miss something.

--

Phillip Windell [MCP, MVP, CCNA]
www.wandtv.com


"T.B." <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote in message
news:(E-Mail Removed)...
> I am running RAS on a W2K server and am having some problems with browsing
> over the VPN by computer name. Some clients can do it and other's can't.
>
> For instance, one client can connect to the VPN and do a \\computer_name
and
> get to COMPUTER_NAME's shared folders with no problem. Another client
> connecting to the same RAS server, can't, but can do it by performing
> \\computer_IP
>
> I have the DHCP server set to give out the WINS server address and I know
> it's working somewhat because the workstation that can do it by name has
the
> WINS server IP address in the IPCONFIG data. The one that cannot connect
by
> name doesn't have it there. Now why would one machine have it and another
> wouldn't? They are both connecting to the same server?
>
> any and all advice and suggestions appreciated.
>
> TB
> remove NOSPAM to reply via email
>
>

RAS/VPN clients do not get this info directly from DHCP. Setting up a
remote connection uses PPP/PPTP to obtain an IP and the WINS address from
the RRAS server. It is part of the PPP/PPTP negotiation. So the WINS setting
the client gets will be the one configured on the RRAS server.

Some clients can contact DHCP after connection to get these settings.
If this happens, the DHCP setting will override the one from the RRAS
server.

If you have problems, put in the WINS address manually on the client.

"T.B." <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote in message
news:(E-Mail Removed)...
> I am running RAS on a W2K server and am having some problems with browsing
> over the VPN by computer name. Some clients can do it and other's can't.
>
> For instance, one client can connect to the VPN and do a \\computer_name
and
> get to COMPUTER_NAME's shared folders with no problem. Another client
> connecting to the same RAS server, can't, but can do it by performing
> \\computer_IP
>
> I have the DHCP server set to give out the WINS server address and I know
> it's working somewhat because the workstation that can do it by name has
the
> WINS server IP address in the IPCONFIG data. The one that cannot connect
by
> name doesn't have it there. Now why would one machine have it and another
> wouldn't? They are both connecting to the same server?
>
> any and all advice and suggestions appreciated.
>
> TB
> remove NOSPAM to reply via email
>
>

when you say "WINS address from the RRAS server..." which address is it
getting and where is it getting it from if it is not getting it from the
DHCP server and scope options that I've configured?

so basically the WINS/DNS addresses that the VPN client gets are the same
addresses that are configured on the NIC that is handling the RAS requests?

TB
"Bill Grant" <not.available@online> wrote in message
news:(E-Mail Removed)...
> RAS/VPN clients do not get this info directly from DHCP. Setting up a
> remote connection uses PPP/PPTP to obtain an IP and the WINS address from
> the RRAS server. It is part of the PPP/PPTP negotiation. So the WINS
setting
> the client gets will be the one configured on the RRAS server.
>
> Some clients can contact DHCP after connection to get these
settings.
> If this happens, the DHCP setting will override the one from the RRAS
> server.
>
> If you have problems, put in the WINS address manually on the client.
>
> "T.B." <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote in message
> news:(E-Mail Removed)...
> > I am running RAS on a W2K server and am having some problems with
browsing
> > over the VPN by computer name. Some clients can do it and other's
can't.
> >
> > For instance, one client can connect to the VPN and do a \\computer_name
> and
> > get to COMPUTER_NAME's shared folders with no problem. Another client
> > connecting to the same RAS server, can't, but can do it by performing
> > \\computer_IP
> >
> > I have the DHCP server set to give out the WINS server address and I
know
> > it's working somewhat because the workstation that can do it by name has
> the
> > WINS server IP address in the IPCONFIG data. The one that cannot
connect
> by
> > name doesn't have it there. Now why would one machine have it and
another
> > wouldn't? They are both connecting to the same server?
> >
> > any and all advice and suggestions appreciated.
> >
> > TB
> > remove NOSPAM to reply via email
> >
> >
>
>

The RRAS server leases a batch of IP addresses from DHCP and uses these
to hand out to remote clients (unless you turn off the DHCP option and use a
static pool of addresses). But it does not issue the name servers configured
in DHCP. PPP issues the the name server addresses which are configured on
the RRAS server's LAN interface.

"T.B." <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote in message
news:(E-Mail Removed)...
> when you say "WINS address from the RRAS server..." which address is it
> getting and where is it getting it from if it is not getting it from the
> DHCP server and scope options that I've configured?
>
> so basically the WINS/DNS addresses that the VPN client gets are the same
> addresses that are configured on the NIC that is handling the RAS
requests?
>
> TB
> "Bill Grant" <not.available@online> wrote in message
> news:(E-Mail Removed)...
> > RAS/VPN clients do not get this info directly from DHCP. Setting up
a
> > remote connection uses PPP/PPTP to obtain an IP and the WINS address
from
> > the RRAS server. It is part of the PPP/PPTP negotiation. So the WINS
> setting
> > the client gets will be the one configured on the RRAS server.
> >
> > Some clients can contact DHCP after connection to get these
> settings.
> > If this happens, the DHCP setting will override the one from the RRAS
> > server.
> >
> > If you have problems, put in the WINS address manually on the
client.
> >
> > "T.B." <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote in message
> > news:(E-Mail Removed)...
> > > I am running RAS on a W2K server and am having some problems with
> browsing
> > > over the VPN by computer name. Some clients can do it and other's
> can't.
> > >
> > > For instance, one client can connect to the VPN and do a
\\computer_name
> > and
> > > get to COMPUTER_NAME's shared folders with no problem. Another client
> > > connecting to the same RAS server, can't, but can do it by performing
> > > \\computer_IP
> > >
> > > I have the DHCP server set to give out the WINS server address and I
> know
> > > it's working somewhat because the workstation that can do it by name
has
> > the
> > > WINS server IP address in the IPCONFIG data. The one that cannot
> connect
> > by
> > > name doesn't have it there. Now why would one machine have it and
> another
> > > wouldn't? They are both connecting to the same server?
> > >
> > > any and all advice and suggestions appreciated.
> > >
> > > TB
> > > remove NOSPAM to reply via email
> > >
> > >
> >
> >
>
>