Remote access to a business sever

AdiCt_

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Jul 18, 2007
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Hello

I am looking for some help with setting up remote access to a small business sever. My parents have asked me to help them set up a remote access so that they can log on to their small business sever from their home. I have some knowledge in computer hardware , but network wizardry is something i have not dabbled in :whistle:

Any help or advice would be most appreciated regarding setting up remote access small business sever, what parts / software needed , thank you :p
 

rgeist554

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Oct 15, 2007
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Oh, I deal with this stuff all day. If it doesn't work, I get to drive out to the employees house and fix it for them. Let's do a few things to get you started:

1. Find out what private IP addressing scheme your parents server uses. (Ex. 192.168.1.x - Where x is going to be assigned to different clients)

*If you don't use a router, then ignore this step*
2. Find out what IP addressing scheme your router is using. This must be different than the Small Business Server (SBS for short) connection. (Ex. It can not be 192.168.1.x - Change it to 172.16.0.x or even 10.0.0.x scheme) This part is absolutely the most critical part!!

3. Use whatever SBS Connection Manager or VPN client that is required to connect to the server. (The alternative is for you to create your own VPN, which is quite simple - Read my VPN post at the bottom)

4. Make sure you have a User name and Password (at least some kind of account) on the server.

5. Log in using the VPN and account credentials provided for you. (You probably know this already, but you need an active internet connection in order to dial into the server)

Creating a VPN:
Going to assume that you're using Windows XP.
1. Open your Network and Internet Connections (Found in Control Panel)
2. Click "Create a new connection"
3. Click next once and get to the screen that says "Network Connection Type". It has 3 options usually. Select the one that says "Connect to the network at my workplace" and click next. There should be something about a VPN in the description
4. Select Virtual Private Network... and hit next.
5. Name connection.
6. Select "Do not dial the initial..." and hit next.
7. Enter the static IP address of the SBS or whatever login server they use and click next.
8. Next.
9. Finish.

Now you're done.


 

michaelahess

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Jan 30, 2006
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Or......

Right click "My Computer" on the server, select "remote" and make sure remote connections are enabled.

Allow RDP port 3389 from your home IP (use whatismyip.com) to the server's lan IP.

Open Remote desktop at home and put in your business' IP address (again use whatismyip.com from work).

If you don't have a static IP at home, allow all IP's at the work firewall, just be aware it opens up some unnecessary security holes.

This is much easier than a VPN, unless you want to setup OpenVPN, but that's a waste of time for something this simple.
 

MikeP316

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Feb 11, 2008
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Guys,
I am having a similuar problem I can establish a VPN connection to my work sever but I an un able to browse the remote system. I can give you the details of what im running if you think you can help.

 

MikeP316

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Feb 11, 2008
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Here is what I have running..

SERVER
Windows Server 2003
Linksys router
Server has static IP
IP from provider
IP assisgned by Router to server 192.168.1.95



Remote system
Windows 2000 or XP
Linksys router
IP is assigned by router
192.168.1.103

I can get a VPN connection but when I use My Network places and browse to find the server it is not there. I have tried to run command on the remote system and ping the ip for the Server but it does not find it either..

I'm not a computer geek, but have some idea as to what to look for...
 

rgeist554

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You need to change the IP scheme. You cannot have 192.168.1.x on both ends. Just change one to 192.168.2.x and you should be good to go.

This same thing happens at work when people call me and say their home router was replaced over the weekend. Well, our server (temporarily set to a 192.168.1.x) matches their routers addressing scheme. This causes the two nodes to get confused... because the server may have 192.168.1.20 set to be the gateway, but the router at home says 192.168.1.20 is a laptop that is connected to the network (or it could just say that address does not exist or is unused) In the end it let's the user connect and authenticate (log on) to the server, but they cannot actually do anything.

Anyways, try changing the IP.
 

MikeP316

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Feb 11, 2008
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Ok I did that but no change. I changed my local router to 192.168.2.100 and trued it but got the same result. Any other ideas.

Also it might be quicker if you could email me.

mport@cox.net
 

rgeist554

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Oct 15, 2007
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Still not able to ping the server? If so, do you have appropriate permissions, etc. on your account to access the server?

Try to see if you can ping the server / other nodes on the server. If you are able to, then use the command prompt or map a network drive to the remote network. (Ex. \\192.168.1.95\Programs). If you're able to ping the server and it has file sharing enabled, then you have access to it.

Also, to my knowledge if you connect two computers, but they don't reside on the same Workgroup / Domain, then you will not see them in Network Places, etc. Please correct me if I'm off here.
 

MikeP316

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I dont think the workgroups are the same however I don't know if they have to. When I take my laptop and go to the same site that the server is and connect to the network on the wireless lan I can do everything ok. but when I move to the other side of the routher i can't . tell me what I should ping.. 192.168.1.85 ??? I don't think that will work as all Linksys stuff has that. I tried pinging the ip address that concast assigned us and I do not get any message back from that, but I wuspect that is because somewhere it is set to not respond to annomuss inquires. I am logging in as administrator.