Help with peer to peer VPN

lenwest · Post by **lenwest** » Tue Jul 28, 2009 11:33 am

I have 2 small LAN's in different buildings across the city. Each has a workgroup of about 7 computers and each has a Linksys RVO82 router.
I have successfully connected the 2 routers (it shows connected in each router) but I need help in mapping drives from one LAN to the other. I would like to, among other things, back up files from computers on one LAN to an external HD on the other LAN. Can I expect to see all computers on the other LAN and access their files?

Do I need to download the Quick VPN utility or? This is my first attempt at using a VPN and would appreciate advice geared to a neophyte.

The Linksys router download focuses on getting connected - which I appear to have done but - now what?

Thanks in advance.

Post by **YeOldeStonecat** » Tue Jul 28, 2009 11:41 am

The QuickVPN client is for computers to connect to the router with a VPN tunnel.

If you have 2 locations, and each has an RV082 router..you have the routers do the "router to router VPN tunnel"...so no the QuickVPN client isn't needed for this.

Name resolution through VPN tunnels can be tricky. Typically you have networks use DNS and sometimes even WINS services to resolve through VPN tunnels. If you just have a peer to peer network at each end of the tunnel, this isn't an option.

Netbios by default usually isn't passed through VPN tunnels, you can enable its passthrough, but it creates a tremendous hit on VPN traffic throughput...it's very "chatty".

You have several other options....some of which are:
*Make important machines on a static IP address, and just that IP address from across the tunnel.
*Use host files
*Use the DNS local database in the RV0s web admin

lenwest · Post by **lenwest** » Tue Jul 28, 2009 11:50 am

YeOldeStonecat wrote:
You have several other options....some of which are:
*Make important machines on a static IP address, and just that IP address from across the tunnel.
*Use host files
*Use the DNS local database in the RV0s web admin

Thanks for the quick response. If I gave a few machines at each end, static IP's could I map drives on those machines to the other LAN?

Post by **YeOldeStonecat** » Tue Jul 28, 2009 12:06 pm

Yes you can still access PCs across the network via IP address instead of netbios name.

So instead of \\server\data
You can use \\192.168.1.10\data

lenwest · Post by **lenwest** » Tue Jul 28, 2009 6:25 pm

Thanks. i will give it a shot in the morning.

Your advice is always the best.

lenwest · Post by **lenwest** » Wed Jul 29, 2009 9:12 am

It works as you say. thanks again. Backing up to a HD off premises is one purpose and another would be accessing files on remote computers through file sharing.

lenwest · Post by **lenwest** » Thu Jul 30, 2009 9:17 am

too quick to say all OK
they could ping remote IP's OK but couldn't access the shared folders from the run box: \\192.168.10.10 Reply said path couldn't be found although pinging worked fine.

????

lenwest · Post by **lenwest** » Mon Aug 03, 2009 1:11 pm

Any suggestions on how to access shared folders on remote LAN.
as mentioned pinging works fine but I can't access shared folders by entering \\192.168.10.20 (static IP of computer in remote LAN)

IP range of local LAN is 192.168.20.xxx

Post by **YeOldeStonecat** » Mon Aug 03, 2009 1:44 pm

That should do it..assuming file and print sharing it setup on the host...it should work fine.

Any 3rd party software firewalls involved?

lenwest · Post by **lenwest** » Tue Aug 04, 2009 3:28 pm

only firewall is router and windows firewall (file and print sharing excepted)
I assume nothing need be done further with router (other than setting up VPN which shows connected)