Cannot access Windows share via OpenVPN

3lmar

Hi!

I'm trying to create a small business network with a windows 10 computer (LAN 192.168.111.2) acting as a kind of server and two clients accessing the pc via OpenVPN.
The OpenVPN-Server runs on an SG-1100/pfsense+. (LAN 192.168.111.1, OpenVPN 10.101.111.1).
In the OpenVPN server configuration I entered 192.168.111.0 as local network, which I suppose is equivalent to a "push route" directive.

I can reach the windows pc from OpenVPN, I can ping it's IP and can connect to it via remote desktop.

Nevertheless I cannot access a shared folder.
I read a lot about DNS problems, but I don't need the domain name, I would be fine with the IP address.

I tried with deactivated personal (windows) firewalls on both the OpenVPN client and the LAN pc, but no luck either. net use complains it doesn't find the network resource.

I think it may have to do with routing on the pfsense, but I am not sure. Interestingly I cannot ping the OpenVPN client (10.101.111.2) from the LAN pc (192.168.111.2).

What's wrong? Can someone give me a hint?

bingo600

@3lmar

If you are sure it's not a firewall permission problem Windows or pfSense.
Or as you mention a ping/routing problem

/Bingo

The below might not fit your problem, but ...

An often missed (tested last) thing is:

Could be OpenVPN tunnel MTU problems
I had that on a Citrix system where i couldn't start a VDI

Have a look at
https://forum.netgate.com/topic/148161/how-to-change-mtu-mssfix-values-for-openvpn-in-pfsense

Remember the "new" settings has to match in both ends ... Server and Client

JKnott

@3lmar said in Cannot access Windows share via OpenVPN:

Nevertheless I cannot access a shared folder.

Do you mean you can't see the folders when you browse for them? Or you can't access them at all? The browsing relies on multicasts, which are not passed through a router. You'll have to create a connection, which will then work.

3lmar

@jknott I cannot access it at all (by IP). Browsing would be nice, but not necessary.

3lmar

@3lmar It turned out it was a totally different problem.
The solution is somehow related to pfsense, because I would not have found it without pfsense's package capture.
My windows 10 notebook on the OpenVPN was trying to connect via port 80, which seemed strange. I learned it did that, because the share wasn't on the same subnet.
The solution was to disable NetBIOS over TCP/IP: https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/troubleshoot/windows-server/networking/direct-hosting-of-smb-over-tcpip

Sorry for having disturbed you.
Maybe this helps anybody else, who like me wouldn't expect a problem with windows pcs connecting to windows pcs.
I should have stayed with linux.