ClearFoundation

Hi all,

My ClearOS box is fully updated and my Win7 laptop is able to view all of the PCs and the server in the Network Neighbourhood when connected directly to the network locally when using the network cable or wireless.

When I am at a remote location, I connect successfully to the server/network using PPTP.

The DHCP settings for the VPN clients, give the correct IP, subnet, DNS and WINS settings. However, it does not give a gateway address as I do not wish to tunnel normal internet access through the VPN connection.

However, I am unable to see the server or the other PCs in the Network Neighbourhood. I do have DNS resolution for the server when I ping it.

Does anyone know how to fix this situation?

James

hello I do not speak English well but seems to have understood that can not seem to browse the network? I've configured the OS to me as a PDC and everything works.

Have a look at this thread. David Loper indicates that you cannot use My Network Neighbourhood over a VPN. My only query is with a PPTP VPN doesn't the remote machine appear as a local machine, or is it being NAT'd?

Looking at the man pages for pptpd.conf, you may be able to get NetBIOS broadcasts to work by setting bcrelay to something. From reading the manual, try setting it to eth0 or whatever your local LAN interface is.

Hi Nick,

I had a look at the other thread of David Loper's. David's thread relates to a site-to-site VPN which I have successfully setup previously.

I am setting up a remote client VPN scenario.

I am not sure how NAT comes into this?

My PC is registered on the LAN. In Windows Explorer I can type the NETBIOS name of the server and I connect successfully. If there was a NAT issue, surely I wouldn't be able to do this?

I'll also have a look at the man pages as you suggest.

James

I tend to agree with what you have said. The thing I don't understand is why there is a local and remote IP for a connection. I was wondering if this was for a NAT operation. Anyway, it is probably a red herring.

I would check out the bcrelay option. Can you report back what you find? I very rarely use pptp so don't often get a chance to check it out.

I have implemented the bcrelay suggestion - I just need to let my laptop settle down a bit (my network neighbourhood results are not consistent for some idiot reason).

You have actually raised something interesting about the local and remote ips - I hadn't really thought about that at all. It could be a NAT issue - although, looking at the routing table on my Win7 laptop says it could potentially be a routing issue.

I'll keep you updated about the bcrelay option in the next day or two.

James

Unfortunately the bcrelay did not help to fix the issue.

I have done a Google Search on the issue and found 1 or 2 othe minor tweaks like that, but it has not worked yet.

Could there be a firewall which needs to be set?

Is there any other suggestions?

James