VPN question

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Guest

Hey guys:

I have a PC at home. and i can log in using VPN to my 2000 server at work,
but i can not map the network drive. I am trying to configure my outlook at
home to synch with my work exchange server. But it says it cannot find the
server (obivously because i am at home and my pc is not a part of the work
domain). I don't want to physically bring the pc over and add it to the
domain for the first time. I know there is a way to configure my home pc so
that i can use it as a part of office network. How do i do that?

Thanks for your help
 
When u say log in to your server at work, are you using RDC or something
related? Are you connecting by server name or IP when doing this? Number 1,
make sure you can ping your Exchange by name after establshing the VPN
connection. If you can't, either a) add a static entry in your home PC host
file b) fix your VPN so that you can use your internal DNS server while
connected. In the long run the latter would be best.

Hope this helps.

AJ, MCSE
 
I am logged in using VPN (tools-->internet options-->connections-->add a
network, like that). I can connect it to my server at work (an icon shows up
on system tray showing connected using vpn), but can not cofigure my outlook
with my exchange server at work or map a network drive so that i can view
files thats on the server. In another word, what i am trying to do is use my
home pc as a part of my work network. you know like when you add a new pc
to the domain then configure outlook to exchange server (by putting the
exchange server name) to receive emails; I am trying to do the same thing to
my home pc using VPN, NOT bringing my pc to my work and adding it.

If I bring my pc physically to work and add it to my domain and bring it
back home, then it works, But i don't want to do that ( i think it works this
way because it registers my home pcs MAC address and DNS to my active
directory).

You mentioned something about DNS settings, I am pretty sure it has
something to do with that because as soon as i log in using vpn, my server at
work needs to see my pc as a part of its network and issue an ip address.
But i do not know how to configure that.

I hope my explanation helps u

thanks for ur help

Irfan
 
do this:
1) connect to your VPN. click start, run, type command (or cmd), then hit
enter. at the command prompt, type in: ping <e-mail server name> <hit enter>
2) If you get successful replies back, then dns is not the issue. we'll
have to check a few things on your outlook profile
3) if you get request time outs, make sure you can ping the IP address. if
not, then VPN is having an issue. If you get replies using the IP address,
you have two choices. fix your dns issue with VPN clients OR do this: click
start, run, type in: c:\WINDOWS\system32\drivers\etc\hosts
open this hosts file with notepad. At the bottom of the file add a static
entry of IP address of e-mail server and computer name of e-mail server (they
show you an example in the file). Repeat step 1, you should get replies back.
4. If you get successfull pings, attempt re-configure your outlook profile.
note, you will also have to make the profile so it prompts for a username and
password, otherwise windows will automatically pass your home pc logon
credentials, which won't let you into your mailbox. when it prompts, you
probably will need to use the username of: <domain>\<username>. make
sense?...

AJ, MCSE
 
Hi A.J:

I connected using my VPN, and use command promt to ping my mail server and
then IP address of my server. I neither can ping email server name nor IP
address of email server at work. It says request time outs. Do you think
its a DNS issue now?

THanks for your hlep

Compsci
 
DNS is now out of the picture. At this point I would say it is an issue with
your VPN. It sounds like you are not even getting connected to your network
via VPN, or the router config is not correct on your network. This is
because when you said a ping to an IP address it does not use DNS. You will
need to fix your VPN issue first, then proceed to map drives or use Outlook.
The best way to test your VPN is to connect, then ping IP address of machines
that you know allow ICMP requests (pings). Be careful w/ XP SP2 machines,
the firewall can block ICMP.

Hope this helps.
AJ, MCSE
 
A.J.. It worked now. As you suggested, i had to make changes to my host
file. Thanks for all you help and God Bless you.
 
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