Unable to see computers on LAN over OpenVPN
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I have my Open VPN running and am unable to see or directly connect to other computers and their shared resources through Windows. I can access these machines via RDP, but my drive shares are not showing up. Any way to get that to work over a VPN or am I out of luck?
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Only if you use TAP mode rather than TUN. With TUN mode, you are on a different subnet and the packets get routed. The shares are announced through broadcasts, which are not passed by routers. You just have to set up the connection manually.
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What is the difference between tun and tap? I have tried directly connecting via IP and that won't work either. Google is of no help lol
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If your VPN connections works, and you made LAN accessible for the OpenVPN , the a simple
\\a.b.c.d
where a.b.c.d is something like 192.168.10.10 then you can access to that PC "192.168.10.10" on the remote LAN.You could even use the network name of the PC if you know it.
@dmd1234498 said in Unable to see computers on LAN over OpenVPN:
What is the difference between tun and tap?
Google knows everything about that question.
As you might have figured out, the answer is indeed rather complex.
As stated above, "tap" is useful because "Windows Explorer" will list all remote devices as present in the network neighbourhood overview - because the device you use that uses the OpenVPN client becomes a device in the remote LAN. Thus every device in that LAN becomes 'local'. So Explorer can "see" it.
But tap has issues that need to be mastered.
By most, people use "tun", as it is easier to implement. And we all have the habit of using names these days, as \MYPC or \MyNBPrinter etc. We doesn't care Explorer (only) lists 'local' network resources. The multi network age is here now. -
@dmd1234498 said in Unable to see computers on LAN over OpenVPN:
What is the difference between tun and tap?
Effectively, it's the difference between a switch and router. A switch creates a flat network, where everything is in the same subnet. A router creates separate networks, with different subnets. A TAP tunnel bridges and a TUN routes.
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Okay that makes sense. So then I am using it in tun mode instead of tap. I switch it to tap and the VPN refuses to connect, even after re-exporting the configuration from PFSense. Any insight on how to get this running in tap mode?
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If tun is better, how can I access drive shares over tun?
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@dmd1234498 said in Unable to see computers on LAN over OpenVPN:
I switch it to tap and the VPN refuses to connect
Did you export the client for the new configuration?
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@dmd1234498 said in Unable to see computers on LAN over OpenVPN:
If tun is better, how can I access drive shares over tun?
Manually connect the shares. The only thing that doesn't work is being able to see the shares when you're not directly on the network.
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Yes I re-exported it but it still refused to connect. I just want to be able to map a shared drive from a computer at home (192.168.50.7) to my laptop at work over OpenVPN. My laptop is given an somewhere on 192.168.51.x. I can RDP into these computers no problem but lan resources aren't showing up. I also cannot connect directly through explorer.
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@dmd1234498 said in Unable to see computers on LAN over OpenVPN:
I can RDP into these computers no problem but lan resources aren't showing up. I also cannot connect directly through explorer.
Maybe not relevant, but if your client is Win10 1709 or later :
https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/windows-server/storage/file-server/troubleshoot/smbv1-not-installed-by-default-in-windows
Specifically :
"Because the Computer Browser service relies on SMBv1, the service is uninstalled if the SMBv1 client or server is uninstalled. This means that Explorer Network can no longer display Windows computers through the legacy NetBIOS datagram browsing method."
John
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@dmd1234498 said in Unable to see computers on LAN over OpenVPN:
how can I access drive shares
As said :
@JKnott said in Unable to see computers on LAN over OpenVPN:
Did you export the client for the new configuration?
and you should be connected of course (VPN should work).
Then ;
@Gertjan said in Unable to see computers on LAN over OpenVPN:
\a.b.c.d
where a.b.c.d is something like 192.168.10.10 then you can access to that PC "192.168.10.10" on the remote LAN.
You could even use the network name of the PC if you know it.=> back slash back slash and the IPv4 or IPv6 or name of the PC if you know it.
in the address bar of the Explorer. -
Go back to tun mode.
Then, under OpenVPN, Client Export Utility, Advanced, Additional Configuration Options, add a line as such:
push "route 192.168.10.0 255.255.255.0"
