VPN - What is the point?

[kid320]

I have a PPTP VPN connection that I use from time to time to access files on my Windows server at work when I am at home on my laptop or on another computer. It works great... I just map the drive in windows and bingo, my files are there.

So, I was excited when I set my VPN connection up on my Samsung Captivate (it is rooted, if it matters). I set everything up, and it connected on the first try. I sat there and looked at the screen and thought, "okay, what do I do now?"

Perhaps I am missing the boat on this whole VPN for Android thing, but is there a way to access the files on a VPN server? I have the ability to map the drives on a PC, but I can not find a spot to do it on the Android.

 

[EvilMonkey]

I VPN into my office's network and from there I RDP to servers (that aren't accessible from outside the company's network).

This way I can maintain things like our Active Directory, Exchange, reboot servers, etc without needing a PC.

I use an app called ES File Explorer (free) to map drives. You just have to add the server and credentials. Have not been able to get it to map using the server names, but IP addresses work fine.

Hope that helps.

 

[kid320]

That ES File Explorer looks like a great little application. I tried it out and it doesn't seem to want to connect to my server. I am probably doing something wrong because I am not too groomed when it comes to this kind of thing.

It says it is connecting to a Samba server - which, to my knowledge is Linux based. Perhaps that is a problem when I attempt to connect to my Windows Server OS?

What I did was started the VPN connection (from the blackberry settings menu), then entered the ES File Explorer program and attempted to add a server. I entered in the internal IP Address of the server, then the share name. This isn't the actual IP or the share name, but just for my example, let's go with:
192.168.1.14/commonshare$

The Path I use to access this same share on a windows machine is:
\\192.168.1.14\commonshare$

I then enter my username and password to access the share (the same username and password I entered for the VPN connection in the blackberry menus).

I then name the connection "Common Share" and tap okay. It will take a second, then eventually pop up and say "Error: Server Not Found."

Am I going about this the right way? Perhaps I can't access files on a Windows Server from this application?

 

[EvilMonkey]

That's basically what I do. for example (again, not my IP) but I use 10.11.1.87/c$ to map the C: drive of the server. Works fine for me, and it's a Windows 2000 server.

If you can, go to the server, open a command prompt and type ipconfig and make sure you have the correct IP address (I assume you do, but make sure you're using the internal IP).

EDIT: Just re-read your post. If it says it's trying to connect to a Samba server (but your server is Windows), then you might be using the wrong IP address, which would explain why it can't connect (unless you're running a Samba server, which from what I can gather is a Linux thing to allow it to work on a Windows network....honestly not familiar with it).

 

[kid320]

Thanks a lot evil. I tried connecting again today and was able to successfully add the server on the first try. I realized that I was connected to the Wi-Fi at my office yesterday, then, opened the VPN connection. So, I guess it get's a little confused when you attempt to VPN into the current network you are on.

I just had to disable WiFi, used the VPN connection and was able to map the drives I needed. I then attempted to disconnect the VPN and enabled WiFi, and that worked too.

So, hooray... this is going to work out great for me. Thanks a lot for your help and suggesting that program, it is great.

 

[EvilMonkey]

Cool. Glad you got it working. It definitely comes in handy.

 

[Ammaar Naaeem]

Hello here is setup a simple PPTP VPN connection on your Android Phone.Go to your Phone setting
[*]Tap on Wireless Controls and then VPN Settings.
[*]Click ‘Add VPN’ and you are Half way through J
[*]Tap on “Add PPTP VPN”. Do not worry about others, we will let you know about the other protocols as well.
[*]Add your “VPN Name”. It can be your name, you can even name it “I Do not need VPN”
[*]Now the so-called difficult part arrives, entering the Server Name. Server Name can only be entered, if you have a VPN account, or you have setup your own VPN. If you do not have both, please do not try this, you will not get anything
[*]Server name is being provided by the VPN Provider, it will be like “usa.bestvpnservice.com”.
[*]You can enable the encryption here. (If VPN still does not work, try again after disabling it)
[*]Do not worry about DNS Search Domains until or unless you are planning to use Internal DNS Server, if yes enter them here.
[*]Save the Settings and You are all set with your New VPN Connection on your Android Honeycomb.
Now, comes the connecting part. Go to your VPN Settings and there you will get your added VPN connection. Tap to connect it and enter your Username and Password, which you will get after paying your VPN Provider. You will see a small Key like icon on the Top, which means you are now safe, secure and anonymous in the digital world. You can disconnect your VPN by going to the same area with VPN settings and tapping on your connected VPN Connection.
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