Unable to browse network drives via over VPN on Vista clients

Hello,

When trying to browse network drives while connected to VPN over a
mobile broadband connection on a computer with Windows Vista Ultimate
installed, I get the following error:

"\\networkdrive is not accessible. You might not have permission to
use this network resource. Contact the administrator of this server
to find out if you have access permissions."

If I attempt to connect to a mapped network drive, I get a different
error:

"An error occurred while reconnecting to \\networkdrive
Microsoft Windows Network: The user name could not be found.
This connection has not been restored."



I have been able to dupliate this on 2 separate laptops. The laptops
are joined to a company's domain, then the employees take them out in
the field and establish a mobile broadband connection using Dell's
broadband software and the Verizon wireless data network. In the
interest of testing, I've also connected using my Motorola Q phone as
a bluetooth modem but this is also over the Verizon service. Anyway
the service shouldn't matter since its encrypted traffic anyway right?

Now if I take this same laptop, and use a different company's internet
connection, it will work. That is to say the laptop is still joined
to my company's domain, but if I utilize an internet connection at a
different company which is also in a domain environment, I can connect
to my company's VPN and happily browse network drives all day. The
problem seems to be how Vista has classified the internet connection.
When I connect through mobile broadband, the Network and Sharing
center shows it as a 'Public' connection and rightfully so. I'm just
wondering if by classifying the connection as public vs. private
triggers some additional security?

When using the latest version of Netscreen-Remote (from Juniper) a new
Safenet Virtual Adapter connection will show up in the list of
networks. I've checked the properties for both this virtual adapter
and for the mobile broadband connection and NETBIOS is enabled on both
connections. I can ping the network drives I'm trying to utilize, but
I just can't browse to them using UNC or IP address. In order to ping
them I did have to add them to the hosts files.

Anyway, I'm at a loss and don't know what else to try. I've been
monkeying with this for about a month now, and have had a ticket open
with Juniper support for as long. I've provided them with log files,
screen shots, etc, and they are still working on it but I don't think
they fully understand what the problem I'm reporting is.

If anyone has any ideas I'd love to hear them. I've wiped the laptop,
re-installed Vista, dis-joined and re-joined the domain, changed
passwords, tried multiple connection methods and laptops, checked and
re-checked permissions to the drive... but I can't give up.

Thank you

Re: Unable to browse network drives via over VPN on Vista clients

On Thu, 17 Jan 2008, Phineas wrote:

> the field and establish a mobile broadband connection using Dell's
> broadband software and the Verizon wireless data network.

We had problems even making a connection with our Cisco VPN client until
we disabled the Venturi compression software. You can disable it
permanently by removing it from the Add/Remove Programs control panel or
take these steps first if you want to confirm that it's the culprit:

1. open VZAccess Manager
2. from pull-down menu select Tools-> Preferences
3. click on the Venturi tab
4. uncheck "Compress and accellerate WWAN connections"
5. click OK

q.v. http://www.venturiwireless.com/tech_support/FAQs.html esp. if the
uninstaller leaves some files behind.

-Gary

Re: Unable to browse network drives via over VPN on Vista clients

Hi Gary,

Thank you for responding. Dell's laptops come with a Dell mobile
broadband software package that performs the same functions as VZAM
but it must be slightly different as I do not see any entries for
Venturi in my program list.

Additionally, I CAN browse network drives in the same exact setting by
simply changing the OS to XP professional SP2. I also know that it is
not a hardware issue, as I've got a dual install of XP and Vista on
the same laptop I'm using to test. That also eliminates the
possibility that's its related to account or drive security. It has
to be something to do with the way Vista handles security when in a
non-domain environment.



=3DOn Jan 20, 1:22=A0pm, Gary > On Thu, 17 Jan 2008, Phineas wrote:
> > the field and establish a mobile broadband connection using Dell's
> > broadband software and the Verizon wireless data network.
>
> We had problems even making a connection with our Cisco VPN client until
> we disabled the Venturi compression software. You can disable it
> permanently by removing it from the Add/Remove Programs control panel or
> take these steps first if you want to confirm that it's the culprit:
>
> 1. open VZAccess Manager
> 2. from pull-down menu select Tools-> Preferences
> 3. click on the Venturi tab
> 4. uncheck "Compress and accellerate WWAN connections"
> 5. click OK
>
> q.v.http://www.venturiwireless.com/tech_support/FAQs.htmlesp . if the
> uninstaller leaves some files behind.
>
> -Gary