Re: vpn access from hotel room

If you have a dedicated workstation on the LAN (or just access to any LAN
workstation that won't be conflicted with another user) and you always force
users to keep all their data on the server (in their user folders) so it's
always accessible, the best approach by far is to use Remote Web Workplace
to remotely control a WinXP Pro LAN workstation from your laptop at the
hotel. While VPNs can be done, I'm not a fan of these since they can be
slow, especially if your trying to access large files. With a VPN, you are
actually downloading the file (database, spread***, wordprocessor files,
etc.) over the Internet to your laptop. With a remote control session (like
RWW), you're only sending keystrokes and screenshots across the wires (which
is much, much faster). All the processing is done oby the remote LAN machine
and all data stays on the LAN (saved to the server or to the workstation
being remotely controlled). A VPN requires significantly more bandwidth
when compared to a remote control session.

If you're laptop has been joined to the SBS domain, you could also use
"offline files" to download copies of all your "important" files to your
laptop before you disconnect from the domain to go on your trip. I'm not a
big fan of this technique because that means that your laptop may have
"company sensitive" files on it and, of course, laptops are subject to a
high theft rate. At any rate, when you return and log into the SBS domain,
any "changed" files are sync'ed back to the server. This technique is
generally not good for databases since these generally have multiple users
who will also be changing the database at the server while you're changing
the database at your laptop and resyncing can be problematic.

So, RWW is the way to go. IMHO, even if you had to buy an addituional
(cheap) WinXP Pro workstation for the LAN and dedicate it for your RWW use,
it would be worth the investment over using a VPN.

--
Merv Porter [SBS MVP]
===================================

"don" <don@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx> wrote in message
news:45D7EC63-F84A-4725-ACF2-717FAF30A4A4@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
Hi Merv

thanks for this information, but how do i access my files from the server?

Maybe i need to install and use VPN after all.

Don



"Merv Porter [SBS-MVP]" wrote:

And here's a good 4 page article on setting up RPC over HTTP (if you
decide
to go that route):

Configuring SBS 2003 for RPC over HTTP
http://www.smallbizserver.net/Default.aspx?tabid=266&ArticleType=ArticleView&ArticleID=57&PageID=51

--
Merv Porter [SBS MVP]
===================================
"don" <don@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx> wrote in message
news:3A6BDECA-9EC7-4953-ABA5-73E8DCDF2D58@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
Hi Merv

thanks for your reply.

Yes, i have a modem router - a d-link. What ports do i need to setup
on
the
router and is it under port redirection?

I do not have a static IP, only a domain name that is registered? But
i
do
not know how that will work?

don


"EvilNem" wrote:

Do you have to use VPN?
SBS comes with a nice feature called Remote Web Workplace (RWW)
If you have a PC still in the office, you could use RWW rather than
VPN
(provided all the ports are setup correctly on your modem/router and
in
ISA).
To access RWW (and I'm assuming you're using Exchange as part of your
SBS
setup so you would have mail pointers that point to your server) you
type
"mail.companyname.com/remote" or whatever your domain may be into your
IE
window, but you must add the "/remote" on the end, otherwise you will
get
an
error.
This will bring you into a login screen where you can login and take
control
of your PC in the office and do everything you would do as if you were
sitting at your desk. One thing which we always have with people who
have
never used RWW, you must accept the certificate, and you must also
install
the ActiveX client otherwise you'll get nowhere.

You could also use Outlook over HTTP (if you are using Outlook 2003,
which
you should be as part of your SBS environment) to read your email from
anywhere. The knowledge base article is KB 884506 on the microsoft
website.
There are also some server side settings that need to be configured in
exchange, the knowledgebase article is KB833401

Hope that helps somewhat.

E.

"don" <don@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx> wrote in message
news:C22D28F0-83B5-4A37-BAE8-B088E49AB3FD@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
hi

can someone please point me in the right direction as i have not got
a
clue
on setting up VPN?

I have sbs 2003 server and ISA 2000. My server has two nics and
external
nic is attached to a d-link modem.

i would like to use VPN to access the server from my hotel room and
read
mail access my files.

I do not want to dial into the server. I just want to be able to
access
it
from the internet using VPN.

I am using windows xp sp2.

thanks








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