How to access shared folders distantly?

[protobock]

Hello,
I am using the RT-N66U with the last Merlin build (26b).

I would like to be able to access the shared folders of all computers (Win 7) connected to the router from my file browser under network places. And also the shared folders of the USB HDD connected to the router.
Everything is OK when I'm locally connected to the router but I want the same result from any internet access.
This can actually be achieved (and it works) with AiDisk but I'm not happy with the web interface.

I tried VPN. I can distantly connect to my router but no shared folders appear in my file explorer.

I tried OpenVPN. I managed to establish a connexion with the router (using Tomato's tutorial) but once again I see no shared folder.

I would not want a solution requiring an installation on every computer sharing folders. Only on my computer which is used to access the shared folders.

I am sorry if this is a noob's question but I need your help. My knowledges of OpenVPN are very limited but I am able to learn...

Thank you

 

[RMerlin]

Network Browsing can't work reliably over VPN, as it requires every computers to be able to communicate through broadcasts. You will have to directly access the share device through its URI (\\MyDevice).

 

[protobock]

Thank you for your answer.

I am not sure I understand correctly:
I switch VPN (not OpenVPN) on and I establish a VPN connexion from my distant computer.
Then I open my file browser and when I write "\\RT-N66U" in the address bar it should show me the shared folders on the USB HDD connected to the router.

Is that correct? I don't think so because it does not work for me :-(

 

[RMerlin]

Thank you for your answer.

I am not sure I understand correctly:
I switch VPN (not OpenVPN) on and I establish a VPN connexion from my distant computer.
Then I open my file browser and when I write "\\RT-N66U" in the address bar it should show me the shared folders on the USB HDD connected to the router.

Is that correct? I don't think so because it does not work for me :-(

Make sure the PPTP VPN IP range is within the same network as the LAN IPs. I.e. if your LAN is in 192.168.1.2 through 192.168.1.254, then set the VPN in 192.168.1.90-99 (by default it will be on 192.168.10.90-99).

You might also need to use the IP instead of the hostname if you are having trouble doing name resolution through the VPN.

 

[protobock]

I appreciate your support very much!!!
I followed your advice and it seems to work. I can now access shared devices through VPN when connected to the router with a guest connection.
I will try from a real remote connection as soon as I can.

Thanks a lot!

 

[protobock]

Thank you. I can now access my shared folders from distantly my work.
But there is another new problem: When the VPN is up, my internet connection slows down dramatically. At work I have a very fast connection and it seems that all traffic goes through my (slow) home connection when VPN is up.

 

[RMerlin]

Thank you. I can now access my shared folders from distantly my work.
But there is another new problem: When the VPN is up, my internet connection slows down dramatically. At work I have a very fast connection and it seems that all traffic goes through my (slow) home connection when VPN is up.

There's an option in your PPTP client configuration under Windows (Options, TCP/IP V4, Advanced) that says to "Use default gateway on remote network". You have to uncheck this option, or else all traffic gets router through the tunnel.

 

[protobock]

There's an option in your PPTP client configuration under Windows (Options, TCP/IP V4, Advanced) that says to "Use default gateway on remote network". You have to uncheck this option, or else all traffic gets router through the tunnel.

I made this. It solves the speed problem but then I can't access my shared folders any more. I tried to type their names in the address bar of the file manager with no success. I set up my VPN connection with my router's real IP instead of the no-ip service address with no success either :-(

 

[RMerlin]

I made this. It solves the speed problem but then I can't access my shared folders any more. I tried to type their names in the address bar of the file manager with no success. I set up my VPN connection with my router's real IP instead of the no-ip service address with no success either :-(

Make sure that your home LAN IP range isn't conflicting with your work IP range. If they do, then you will have to renumber your home LAN to a different IP range.

Also, try to access your devices by their IP rather than their name - name resolution can be tricky over VPNs.

 

[protobock]

The IP ranges don't conflict.
I'll try to access the devices by their IP address on monday, when i am at work.
Again, thank you for your help.

BTW, this afternoon, from my work, I tried to check the option just under "Use default gateway on remote network" (I don't know how it is named in English) and I was then able to see my shared folders and the internet speed was OK. BUT the transfer rate through the VPN was very low and surprisingly it was half the rate measured by DUMeter on my computer...
In other words, I could send a file to the USB HDD attached to the router at 150 kB/s and the traffic going out of my computer was 300 kB/s. For information, my connection should allow ca 4MB/s.

 

[RMerlin]

The IP ranges don't conflict.
I'll try to access the devices by their IP address on monday, when i am at work.
Again, thank you for your help.

BTW, this afternoon, from my work, I tried to check the option just under "Use default gateway on remote network" (I don't know how it is named in English) and I was then able to see my shared folders and the internet speed was OK. BUT the transfer rate through the VPN was very low and surprisingly it was half the rate measured by DUMeter on my computer...
In other words, I could send a file to the USB HDD attached to the router at 150 kB/s and the traffic going out of my computer was 300 kB/s. For information, my connection should allow ca 4MB/s.

When you check that option, it makes ALL traffic go through the VPN. That's why Internet access becomes very slow, because it will go through your VPN, to exit the tunnel from your home. This is not recommended, unless you have a networking situation that requires it.

Personally, I'd recommend looking at OpenVPN however. It's a more robust VPN implementation.

 

[azakovorotny]

I configured OpenVPN and Samba on my Tomato Shibby, however I cannot access my network USB drive via VPN. Samba sharing enabled without authentication; workgroup name is the same as on the VPN client. I can see USB drive in the local net, but I cannot access it over OpenVPN tunnel as \\my_router_IP\mounted_resource_name nor I see it (as well as my Tomato router) in Windows network neighborhood.
What am I missing?

 

[RMerlin]

I configured OpenVPN and Samba on my Tomato Shibby, however I cannot access my network USB drive via VPN. Samba sharing enabled without authentication; workgroup name is the same as on the VPN client. I can see USB drive in the local net, but I cannot access it over OpenVPN tunnel as \\my_router_IP\mounted_resource_name nor I see it (as well as my Tomato router) in Windows network neighborhood.
What am I missing?

Might be best to ask on the Tomato support forums at Linksysinfo. This sub-forum here is for Asuswrt-Merlin, which is a quite different firmware.

 

[azakovorotny]

Thank you for replying. I actually figured it out - I assumed wrong IP when looking for the share since net browsing was not working.