VPN Troubleshooting for a non-tech

[deleted]

First of all, I'm an exec, not a tech :/

My goal here is to access an .exe application (we are all using Windows) that relies on dependencies on a network drive labelled N:\. I cannot change the reliance on N:\. I have created a network drive, N:\ on my computer (running Win 8.1) which will act as the server. I want to use the VPN to allow Agents to connect from outside my LAN (internal can just access N:\ as a shared folder).

I created a server config:

;local 172.21.0.3
port 443
proto tcp
dev tun
ca "C:\\Program Files\\OpenVPN\\easy-rsa\\keys\\ca.crt"
cert "C:\\Program Files\\OpenVPN\\easy-rsa\\keys\\server.crt"
key "C:\\Program Files\\OpenVPN\\easy-rsa\\keys\\server.key"  # This file should be kept secret
dh "C:\\Program Files\\OpenVPN\\easy-rsa\\keys\\dh2048.pem"
topology subnet
server 10.8.0.0 255.255.255.0
ifconfig-pool-persist ipp.txt
push "redirect-gateway def1 bypass-dhcp"
;push "dhcp-option DNS 208.67.220.220"
keepalive 10 120
cipher AES-128-CBC   # AES
comp-lzo
persist-key
persist-tun
status openvpn-status.log
verb 5

and my client config:

client
dev tun
proto tcp
remote <xxx>.dynamic-dns.net 443
resolv-retry infinite
nobind
persist-key
persist-tun
ca "C:\\program files\\openvpn\\config\\ca.crt"
cert "C:\\program files\\openvpn\\config\\cmaley.crt"
key "C:\\program files\\openvpn\\config\\cmaley.key"
ns-cert-type server
remote-cert-tls server
cipher AES-128-CBC
comp-lzo
verb 5
mute 20

What's happening now:

I activate OpenVPN on the server, it works, and the server is assigned 10.8.0.1.
Craig (my remote that is acting as a guinea pig to help test this) connects, and is assigned 10.8.0.5.
I ping Craig from the server, and get 4 responses (ok)
Craig pings me from his computer, and gets 4 responses (ok).

However, Craig cannot see the network drive that I have shared. My Windows firewall opened incoming and outgoing on 443, and my router has 443 forwarded to 173.21.0.9 (my local IP, which I changed from 192.168.xx.xx to prevent client conflicts)

This is probably something simple, and hopefully is resolvable through the file sharing settings or something else really simple.
What I have done to attempt to access the shared folder from Craig's computer is "Map Network Drive", drive N:\, and I have used both of these as the path to the shared folder:
"\\10.8.0.1\Users\User\"
"\\CHRIS\Users\User\"

I also tried
"\\172.21.0.9\Users\User"

His computer just doesn't find it. And I'm lost. Any help would be greatly appreciated.
-Chris

maikcat

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[deleted]

Micheal,

Thank you for your help. If, from the client, I do start, run, \\10.8.0.1, I get an error box that says "Windows cannot access \\10.8.0.1. Check the spelling of the name. Otherwise, there might be a problem with your network. To try to identify and resolve network problems, click Diagnose."

Of course, you know how helpful "Diagnose" is... (If it helps, the error details were error code 0x80070035 Network Path Not Found)

For some reason, when I let Windows Diagnose this, it tells me that the remote device or resource won't accept the connection. (The device or resource 10.8.0.1 is not set up to accept connections on port "the File and Printer Sharing" (SMB))

SO I have NO idea what I've done wrong, here, and no idea how to fix it...

maikcat

can you check how win8 detects tap interface?
i mean do they report it like "unindentified network"? "home network"? or public one?

Michael.

[deleted]

I'm showing it as a private network. I had to go into the adapter settings, uncheck all the boxes except IPv4, and change the IPv4 settings to:
IP address 10.8.0.1 (server) 10.8.0.3 (client)
Subnet 255.255.255.0
Default Gateway 10.8.0.254

That changed the network from public to private for both the server and client pcs

[deleted]

I guess my last response didn't go through. I have the tap interface set to private on the client and the server. I have unchecked all the adapter properties except "File and Printer Sharing for Microsoft Networks" and IPv4. For IPv4, the settings are as follows:

Obtain an IP address automatically
Obtain DNS Server address automatically.
Under advanced, I have changed the default gateway to read 10.8.0.254 (this allows the network to show up as private rather than public)

maikcat

if you go

control panel --> network & sharing center

look for your profile,
is file and printer sharing turned on?

this option also manages firewall rules...

Michael.

[deleted]

Yes, file and printer sharing is on for public and private networks, and windows firewall is disabled (temp) for troubleshooting on public and private networks.

maikcat

After 1 month i stumbled upon something which may help you...

for start remove the default gateway ip from your TAP adapter,
this will cause tap interface to be reported as public network not allowing
file and printer sharing,

next run group policy editor by running gpoledit.msc
Select “Network List Manager policies”, then double-click on Unidentified Networks in the window pane on the right
A new window Unidentified Networks Properties will pop up. Set the Loca-tion Type to Private and click OK

Michael.