Windows Networking thru IPSEC Tunnel

  • Thread starter Thread starter TonyB
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T

TonyB

Hi,
I've connected the network at work which uses NT4 as a PDC to my small home
network using two vpn routers at either end, and have established an ipsec
tunnel. I can ping machines on either network, and have used telnet/ftp to
connect to the pdc from home. The two networks use different ip addresses as
required by ipsec.

Is it possible to use any of the windows networking features over this type
of connection ? I'm looking at logging onto the domain, browsing the
network, connecting to network drives, using printers etc ?

Regards
Tony
 
TonyB said:
Hi,
I've connected the network at work which uses NT4 as a PDC to my small home
network using two vpn routers at either end, and have established an ipsec
tunnel. I can ping machines on either network, and have used telnet/ftp to
connect to the pdc from home. The two networks use different ip addresses as
required by ipsec.

Is it possible to use any of the windows networking features over this type
of connection ? I'm looking at logging onto the domain, browsing the
network, connecting to network drives, using printers etc ?
Click to expand...

Sure. You're basically doing it.

Browsing is likely going to require a WINS server
(or other arrangements) for the NetBIOS name resolution
of the Browse Masters.

But you can get by without browsing if you are bit
self-reliant, e.g., Net view \\Server , and Net Use * \\server\sharename

Trusts will require NetBIOS to work also.

Otherwise you can explicitly authenticate with commands
equivalent to:

Net Use * \\server\sharename * /user:OtherDomain\UserNameThere
 
Absolutely. Think of a VPN as a long network cable to your network. If you
have any XP Pro or Windows 2000 computers in your network you can use
Terminal Services in Remote Administration Mode or Remote Desktop. XP Pro
with Remote Desktop is particularly good in that you can use printer and
drive redirection. You may find problems with name resolution through the
VPN and until you get that resolved you can access the other lan's computer
by their local IP address instead of name. Robert's post has a link with
more details. Note that the VPN connection will be very slow compared to
normal network access. --- Steve
 
I should clarify that the VPN connection can work well without Remote
Desktop but that it is also nice to use it if available. -- Steve
 
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