[pptp-server] Windows Network Browse

[Patrick Keys]

Hello

This is a question that seems to have been asked so many times, but I have
yet to find any answers that have made my setup work. The problem is simple:
I can't browse the remote network when using pptpd and windows clients. Here
is a diagram of my setup:


  +-------------+ 10.1.5.155             10.1.5.150 +-----------+
  | Windows Box |----------------//-----------------| Linux Box |
  +-------------+             PPTP Link             +-----------+
					via Internet      	| 10.1.4.250

+--------------------------------- Office Network

(10.1.4.0)

The windows box is running Windows 2000 and is using the in-built VPN
software.

The Linux box is running Samba 2.2.0, the current version of pptpd and the
latest version of PPP. The kernel has been patched for PPP. Connections from
the windows box to the pptp host are via the internet - both ends have
static IP addresses.

When the ppp interface is brought up on the Linux box, a route to the
10.1.5.0 network is added, netmask 255.255.255.0. I can ping any host on the
office network, the interfaces on the Linux box etc. from the Windows
machine. Conversely, I can ping the remote windows 2000 machine from any
host on the office network. The office network contains either one or two NT
servers for each domain - I am only trying to access one domain at present.
It has a PDC and a backup DC.

My problem is that I cannot browse the office network or access any office
machine by name. I am able to access shares if I supply the IP address of
the remote machine, subsequent to supplying a valid username and password.

I have tried the following to make it work:

- changing the local and remote addresses of the ppp link to 10.1.4.150 and
10.1.4.155 respectively
- making the samba server a wins server
- making the samba server a wins proxy
- making the samba server a preferred master
- making the samba server a domain master
- supplying a remote announce parameter in samba
- kicking the NT machines and Linux box

Needless to say, all of my efforts have so far been fruitless.

I am not at all keen to use WINS on the office network - we have a large
turnover of machines, so it would be very inconvenient and machines would be
'forgotten'. I would also like to avoid using the samba machine as a master
browser. LMHOSTS would be extremely inconvenient - we sometimes have to
access the office from thousands of miles away on customer machines...
they're not usually keen on someone playing with LMHOSTS.

I have read that it is possible to do this... I've read hundreds of web
pages, e-mails etc. but nothing has got me any closer. Someone must have
done this - or am I asking too much?

Many thanks in advance for your help

Patrick