Setting up VPN

[Fletch]

I am trying to set up my server at the office so I can access it from home.  On the server it says it is configured for Virtual Private Networking, but when I try to set up a connection from home it gives me Error 800 and some general note saying there are a number of things that might be interfering.  I didn't see anything to indicate that it even found the server.  I have been told both that VPN requires and doesn't require additional service from your ISP.

The server is a Dell Poweredge 700 with Windows Server 2003 for Small Business Servers.
The home computer is a Dell Inspiron 6000 with Windows XP Home SP2.

I thought about using a program like GoToMyPC, but I don't want to take control of the server, I just want to be able to access the files.  Any advice?

[unlovedwarrior]

go to my pc doesnt hijack it... i use it all the time... as long as the machine is on...

have u tried remote desktop?

[Fletch]

What I'm saying is that I don't want to take control of the server.  GoToMyPC and remote desktop are great if you are the only one who uses the computers involved, but if someone else is using the computer on the other end then you will be taking control out of their hands.  Not that anybody uses the server directly all that often, but I would still rather just be able to map the shared drive on the server so that I can access it from home.

I work at an architecture firm.  What I'm really hoping to achieve is that "Read Only" status when someone is working on a drawing.  Right now we have a couple of people who work out of the office and at present we just e-mail drawings back and forth, but this results in different versions of the drawings with different revisions on each drawing.  It wastes time having to copy revisions from one drawing to another, supposing we even get around to it.  Remote desktop would be closer if we had an extra computer with AutoCAD in the office, but I don't think drafting in AutoCAD would work too well over the internet anyway.  And, of course, copying the files to my computer via remote desktop or gotomypc and copying them back when I'm finished results in the same version problem, I might be overwriting files that someone else has made other revisions to.

[ale52]

I don't think you'll find any RDP software that will be "read only".

I recently set up GoToMyPC for a small power plant by where I live.  We went back to the office and connected to the plant while someone was one the PC @ the plant.  We could see what that guy was doing & interact with him.

Yes, we could "take control" but at the same time he could "take it back".  

I guess the key is to co-ordinate with the people working on the pc...or access it when it isn't in use by someone at the office.

Alan <><  

[xylene]

Using any graphics intensive application over remote access software is a definate no-no. Every time you make a change you must wait for the screen to update. Its painful :-/

Sounds like Fletch is looking for a file access only method to share drawings. VPN software like OpenVPN could allow access to the domain remotely (assuming you are using one because you are using Win2k3 SBS) but since the computer at 'home' is only running XP Home edition it would not be possible to add it to the domain. If you did upgrade or the 'home' user was using XP Pro and you added them to the domain at the office and you could have very specific file access control for each user. For instance read-only.

Since they are only looking for file access and not email or other domain applications, FTP access to the project files might be a better idea. You could give certain users have read-only access and allow people to see what others have done via a version number system. File transfers would be a snap and you wouldn't have other hurdles  such as adding machines to the domain or CALS.

Let me know if you like either of these ideas and someone can give you a little more information.

[patio]

VPN needs no additional settings to be changed by your ISP...you are missing something in the setup itself that is blocking the 2 machines from seeing each other.

patio.   8-)

[unlovedwarrior]

how would you fix that?

[Fletch]

The server says that it is currently configured to allow VPN and I am told that a previous employee was able to access the server from home.  I have tried the option to make a disk to install it on my home computer with no luck.  I have also tried it manually with the remote connection wizard using the IP address but that didn't work either.  I'm a little confused as to how just the IP address alone can find the server anyway.  I wasn't aware that the IP was unique across the entire internet.  At any rate, is there any course of action I can take to detect where the gap is in the connection?

[panboy]

real ips are unique on the Internet.

the ip's we use on our computers in networks are fake ip's that use subnets.

in order for you to set up the connection to the server you need to know how the network is set up.

you need to know where the Internet connection is coming in, is the ip forwared , is there a fire wall in place , are you using a standalone router, is the connection straight in to the server.

and you will need to get the IP's of these devices. then we can talk

[Fletch]

This is the internet configuration as near as I can figure out.  The connection comes in from the ISP to the router.  From the router the connection branches out to all of the other computers, including the server.  There is no firewall.  The router is standalone (I think). And the connection does not go straight to the server.  As for IP forwarding, I'm not sure.  How do I figure that out?  And I have the server IP information, but how do I find the router IP?

[panboy]

If your Going to Set up the VPN you may Need Full Access to your Router, it most likely has a built in Fire wall, that you'll have to configure in order for it to allow a VPN

Some Router's Let you Set a VPN up on them. This is some times the Easiest way.

If not there are two options ,

One you can Forward the Ports the VPN will use to a Server set up to Receive a Connection

Two you Can forward the IP to the Server, (witch may case problems if your network is at all advanced) but this will make setting up the VPN very easy but expose your server to the Internet , Well expose it more....

Now we need Details on the router , there are 3 ways of Getting in to routers , 1 a nice little Web interface, 2 a nice Easy Telnet interface, and 3 a serial console port using a telnet interface

[Fletch]

Alright, here is an update on our router situation.  The internet comes in from the ISP to a CISCO IAD2431 BRA-8FXS router.  From there it transfers to another router which I gather we are not using as a router, but more as a hub, a Linksys BEFSR81.  From there wires go off to the computers and one wire goes to another 3-COM hub, and more computers from there.  The server is connected to the Linksys router.  Looks like the CISCO is what we need information for.  How do we get access to it?  I tried http://192.168.1.1 in the browser but that didn't turn up anything.

[panboy]

Im going home now , so i wont have any time to Research your Router today, Rob is Prety good at the network stuff, if he logs on he might be able to help... i now will enjy hour and a half Bus trip home... ill try to help more later.. but as i said not all routers have nice Web interfaces.

[Fletch]

I did find the documentation to be pretty technical.  Thanks for your help.

[unlovedwarrior]

I did find the documentation to be pretty technical.  Thanks for your help.

did u try contacting the tech support for the router?

[panboy]

Its a New day , I'm going to Have a look at to see if i can get info on that Router,

I done a Cisco Course and There For i know Everything about the Subject(This is a Gross Exaggeration).
An i know more that many Tech support Staff

Unloved , We Are Tech Support, thats what this site is ^.^

[panboy]

... ok I'm looking at the Configurations manual now, This is not a basic Cisco Router , its A Voip Gateway. Do you use this for all the Phone System's in the Office?..

It also looks like you might need the Software for this in order to do any configuration. i think i found the Software on the Cisco site, ill post a line in a mo

http://www.cisco.com/en/US/products/hw/gatecont/ps887/tsd_products_support_series_home.html

I cant Get to the Software because I'm not a Register User but you might have a disk around some ware...

Any way ill Read trough the manual and see if you might be able to telnet in.

Ok you Can Use Telnet , unless the Bright Spark who set it up disabled it for Security , (It may be more Secure , but it makes things a *censored* of a lot more Awkward).

I beginning to wonder if i should Really get into this, it can Get Pretty Messy...

Do you guys have an IT guy? you could Really Break your Network and have no idea of how to fix it if you get your Hands too Dirty

[Fletch]

I know what you mean.  I don't want to get in over my head here.  I really didn't expect it to get so complicated.  I figured IP's and permissions and there you go.  If it was my own system I would say no problem, but being that it is essential to our office productivity I think it's best not to go to far.    We've called in a tech guy to help us sort it out next week.  In the mean time I'm going to try and get ahold of that software.  Turns out the guy who worked here before and had access from home was doing it through the Linksys router, before we added the Cisco router to our system when we upgraded to T1.  Linksys I gather is considerably easier to configure.

[panboy]

Ok that seems like a Good choice for now, Cisco Routers are made in a way that make them hard to use so that people who don't understand the basics cant even get in.

Its both a smart idea and a stupid one at the same time. but you can say the same as Microsoft