[pptp-server] Viewing SAMBA share via PPTP

[Cowles, Steve]

> -----Original Message-----
> From: Allen D. Moore [mailto:allen at mail-masters.com]
> Sent: Thursday, August 30, 2001 11:38 AM
> To: pptp-server at lists.schulte.org
> Subject: [pptp-server] Viewing SAMBA share via PPTP
> 
> 
> I have a PoPToP server running on my SuSE 7.2 server configured as
> follows: 
> 
> #pptpd.conf
> speed 115200
> option /etc/ppp/options.ppp0
> debug
> localip 192.168.254.100
> remoteip 192.168.254.100-110
> 
> #options.ppp0
> lock
> debug
> auth
> +chap
> +chapms
> +chapms-v2
> mppe-40
> mppe-128
> mppe-stateless
> name ids
> proxyarp
> 
> 
> My server is behind a FlowPoint 2200 using NAT to forward 
> PPTP to server (permits ONE client at a time only)  
> 
> I can successfully connect to the server using a WinME client over the
> internet, but cannot browse the SAMBA partition, or even aquire the
> NetBIOS name......  I've open up the SAMBA partition up w/ no security
> in order to test, yet still can't see partition- AND when I 
> "Search for Computers" from the windows client I get NO activity
> showing in the byte counts displayed by the VPN connection monitor...
> 
> FYI, here's my smb.conf, too...
> [global]
> security = share
> workgroup = ids
> browse list = yes
> 
> [home]
> guest ok = yes
> read only = no
> path = /samba_share
> 
> Any ideas-  I'm sorry if this is an obvious problem to the 
> experienced;
> but, I just don't get it...
> 
> TIA,
> 
> -Allen Moore

By default, MS networking issues broadcast packets to build the master
browser list for network neighborhood. In addition, these broadcast packets
are used to determine (elect) "who" is the local master browser (lmb) and/or
the domain master browser (dmb) for your LAN. When you establish a PPTP
connection, these broadcast packets are NOT sent across the tunnel because
your PPTP server is acting as a router. So by default, you cannot browse
from the remote pptp client unless you either:

Preferred, by the book...

1) Enable a WINS server on your LAN. (Samba can perform this function)
2) Add "ms-wins xx.xx.xx.xx" to your option.ppp0 file
3) Make sure the remote PPTP client's workgroup registration matches the
workgroup registration of your LAN. In your case... IDS
4) Make sure the remote PPTP clients WINS server address is being set after
you establish the tunnel. (check it with winipcfg or ipconfig /all) It
should show the WINS servers IP address along with the PPTP clients netbios
node type being set to "hybrid" instead of broadcast. i.e. You want the pptp
client to query the WINS server for netbios resolution, not broadcast for
it.
5) If you have other client workstations/servers on your LAN, they must also
be configured to register with WINS server.
6) If Samba is being used as a WINS server, it needs to be configured to win
the master browser election along with being configured to answer requests
from device PPP0. i.e. read up on the following smb.conf parameters...
interfaces, domain master, preferred master, os level, remote browse sync,
bind interfaces only

or...

The administration nightmare method (easy)...

1) Edit your PPTP clients "lmhosts" file and add the appropriate entries to
correspond to your LAN. The lmhosts.sam file has some decent examples to get
you started.

If your interested in understanding "why" you need WINS (or even the
lmhosts) to browse across remote networks, further reading should include
some of the following MS articles:

WINS servers, WINS clients and WINS proxies
http://www.microsoft.com/windows2000/en/advanced/help/default.asp?url=/WINDO
WS2000/en/advanced/help/sag_WINS_und_Servers.htm

Windows Internet Naming Service (WINS): Architecture and Capacity Planning
(read all chapters)
http://www.microsoft.com/ntserver/techresources/commnet/WINS/WINSwp98/WINS01
-12.asp

Using WINS for netbios name resolution.
http://msdn.microsoft.com/library/default.asp?url=/library/en-us/dnntpro00/h
tml/NetBIOS.asp

How WINS Clients Register Their Names
http://www.microsoft.com/WINDOWS2000/techinfo/reskit/en/CNET/cncd_win_bqtj.h
tm

Example of a WINS lookup
http://www.microsoft.com/WINDOWS2000/techinfo/reskit/en/CNET/cncf_imp_psvl.h
tm