You are quite correct, Browsing doesn't depend on WINS, however browsing benefits from WINS. Because WINS can hold information about different domains/workgroups and their browse masters. This can also be done by using lmhosts-file but that is a bit awkward.
So best solution for Browsing problems with VPN connections is to use WINS. One WINS server is quite enough, just make sure that every machine is using it for name WINS-resolution. rgds, Harri > -----Original Message----- > From: ext [EMAIL PROTECTED] [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED]] > Sent: 28 January, 2002 19:54 > To: [EMAIL PROTECTED] > Subject: Re: VPN issue > > > 1. NetBEUI is broadcast; NetBIOS is not *necessarily* so. > > 2. Browsing is not really a NetBIOS thing, and (definitely* doesn't > depend on WINS. > > Browsing depends on the client's ability to locate a "browse > master" on the current segment for its domain/workgroup. If it > can't, it will call for an "election" to fill this role. > > My experience with the Altiga/Cisco 30xx VPn boxes was that NT/2000 > clients were able to browse the internal domain after a brief delay. > Windows 9x clients never managed to do this. > > Since Windows 9x *were* able to mount internal shares via the "net > use" command line (which *does* us NetBIOS and WINS), we didn't sweat > the fact that browsing never worked. Since it worked fine for > NT/2000 clients, we assumed the defect was in Win 9x itself and not > in our VPN configuration. > > DG > > > On 22 Jan 2002, at 18:09, Andrew J. Caird wrote: > > > Tim, > > Browsing Windows networks is a NetBIOS function, and that > > is, as I understand it, a broadcast protocol. For VPNs to > > work, your network is different from the other network > > (the office in your case), and broadcasts don't cross > > subnet boundaries unless there is something to help them > > do so. > > > > One option is to put a WINS server in each location, and > > share NetBIOS information between the WINS servers. This > > is probably a bit much for your home. > > > > Another option (and I'm reaching here) is to use what some > > firewalls offer (not sure about Cisco, I think Checkpoint > > does) to solve this problem; you get handed an address > > internal to the network and it does some NAT stuff and it > > looks like you are on the network, and you'll see the > > NetBIOS broadcasts and all will be well. Again, I'm sure > > someone else on this list can expand on/correct these > > statements. > > > > Another option is to use a NetBIOS "helper"; some switches > > have this (which won't help you with your VPN problems, > > but it may clear up the concept for you a little). You > > might look into Samba, who's nmbd can forward WINS > > information across subnets; see in particular the "wins > > server" stanza in the smb.conf file and smb.conf(5) if you > > look at this option. > > > > Hope this helps. > > -- > > Andrew Caird Uniphied Thought > > [EMAIL PROTECTED] 313.550.8408 www.uniphied.com > > _______________________________________________ > > Firewalls mailing list > > [EMAIL PROTECTED] > > http://lists.gnac.net/mailman/listinfo/firewalls > > > > > > > _______________________________________________ > Firewalls mailing list > [EMAIL PROTECTED] > http://lists.gnac.net/mailman/listinfo/firewalls > _______________________________________________ Firewalls mailing list [EMAIL PROTECTED] http://lists.gnac.net/mailman/listinfo/firewalls
