Re: VPN: Can connect but not browse or do anything

Thanks for your informative response, Chuck....

Do you have a domain, or a workgroup? With a domain on a segmented LAN (a VPN
link segments your LAN), the domain controller will act as a domain master
browser. With a workgroup, you have 2 master browser on 2 segments, and no way
for them to see each other.

I am using workgroups. Unfortunately I'm totally clueless about
domains. Is there a place I could learn about them, and compare the
features of using domains instead of workgroups? In the end result,
we've got several distant LANs that need to be connected -- one in
Barcelona, sharing its printers/files, one in South Carolina, sharing
its printer/files... It seems like things could get very ugly if I
don't configure it correctly.

If you have a workgroup, you'll have to setup fixed links, for each cross-VPN
share. And if you can't setup a DNS or WINS server, you'll have to use IP
addresses, as name resolution broadcasts are another casualty of segmented LANs.

I have to admit ignorance on fixed links -- what are they, or could
you point me to some documentation somewhere? I googled it but didn't
find anything at all when I had "fixed links" in quotes. Is this like
the lmhosts file that is alluded to in Al Jarvi's post? I think I
wouldn't want to use a solution like that because the VPN is not
always connected, so with dynamically assigned client IP's I don't
think I can use a hardcoded lmhosts file.

The link you gave explains that "Routers drop broadcasted datagrams",
or as you said, "resolution broadcasts are a casualty of segmented
LANs". But if there was a way to forward UDP packets would this still
be an issue?

I might be interested in setting up a WINS server -- this is built in
to XP, yes? I'm totally a newbie (I am the web programmer/database
guy for my company, and exclusively know OSX/Linux, so while I am
generally familiar with abstract networking concepts I am very new to
Windows networking)

Thanks again,
Marc

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