Can ping but not access

[rpg121]

Whenever I connect via VPN to my server, I can ping and access the computer's files using their IP addresses. (E.G. \\xxx.xxx.xxx.xxx\share and ping xxx.xxx.xxx.xxx) but I can't access the computers with their windows' names. Also too, how can I make my network so VPN clients can play network games with the internal network clients. Computers inside the network can't see current game servers made by VPN computers and vice versa.

I'm still learning and have been experimenting for some time now so any help is appreciated.

 

[John Lewis]

Both problems are related to network broadcasts. Microsoft networking and many game servers rely on broadcast messages to resolve names and tell the rest of the network that they are there.

Network broadcasts do not cross subnets, and your VPN is on a different subnet that the LAN, so the broadcasts on your LAN never reach the VPN. You can't change the fact that your VPN is on a different subnet, so you must look for something else. Assuming only a few VPN clients and fixed IPs for the LAN, a lmhosts file on each client is probably the easiest solution to solve your computer browsing issue.

Afraid I can't offer much on the game side, not my thing. You might try a post mentioning gaming across a VPN, probably in the WIN2K forum. Not technically correct, but I would bet you would get a good hit there.