Mapping shared drive with VPN access

1. Bonjour is not your friend in a VPN - Your Bonjour finder "shared in the sidebar" host show up when you are "on the why-phi in The Office: .. but not on a VPN... so..... its apparently implemented this way... you have to go after these network mount points explicitly.
2. Verify these things in your server first:
   • the share points (network file system mount points) actually exits - they probably do but check them no less
   • the share points are accessible via SMB (as you seem you want to use) and also AFP
     • these settings are editable/configurable in the Server.app UI / file Sharing
     • ensure the account you are connecting WITH is in a group, a default group or specifically added on the share point definition.

       you may test this by enabling GUEST just to determine if you have a path.

   • also ensure the VPN DNS search suffix and DNS address for your VPN profile of config (if using OSX server) point to correct machine (probably the one you are connected to)..
3. Verify these on your client (your mac)
   • you have successfully connected to your VPN (100% sure you have but do it anyway)
   • one the System Preferences / Network/ Locations_name/ VPN Network Interface (NIC) (the one that's has the GREEN dot on it)... ensure:
     • the VPN that you are using is HIGHER (lower index) in the NIC list than ETHERNET or WIFI (use the gear when and SET SERVICE ORDER) - then click APPLY
     • go to VPN, Advance Options, DNS and MAKE SURE the DNS server address has been added for you server you're connected to AND the search suffixes are there. If not MANUALLY Add them . - this is also a bug in some systems.
     • in the VPN NIC, go to ADVANCED / Options / Session Options/ and review if "Send all traffic over connection" is Ticked. if YEs then its HIGHLY likely that the DNS search suffix WILL NOT RESOLVE .If so then... you must use the FULLY qualified nah of the host smb://account@macpro.thiskey.home
4. On your MAC, if (2) above VPN setting has Send all traffic over connection ticked, you will have to use the fully qualified machine name.
   • this is some silly flaw introduced at OSX 10.10 . on some macs its ok.. but most fail etc DNS search when VPN and search suffix use.
   • Finder / example +k | ⌘+k ..... smb://authuser@macmini-07.production.lan2

     should you be authenticated, the mount points you are authorised to access will be in the FINDER "connect to server" UI as usual.

5. Try your connection:
   • try with AFP:// first . The log data is maintained on the server. You may see why it fail.
   • SMB:// sadly logging is in /var/log/system.log
   • if the above is no joy , try manually you may manually MOUNT the file systems using the shared file path you verified in step 1. as: ..example:

macpro-studio:~ warwick$ mkdir /volumes/vol-ser-name

macpro-studio:~ warwick$ mount_afp -i afp://authuser@macmini-07.production.lan2/vol-ser-name /Volumes/vol-ser-name

Password:

macpro-studio:~ warwick$ cd /vol-ser-name

macpro-studio:maint warwick$ cd ..

macpro-studio:volumes warwick$ umount /Volumes/vol-ser-name

issue a bash mount command see how its mounted.

hth

Post you results for others to see.

Warwick

Hong Kong

well. who ever told you this "i needed to use an IP address" has been incorrect. If the advisor is an "IT GUY",, then he's given wrong advice. The machine names / host names work perfectly over a VPN as long as the DNS setting and mount authentications are correct.

fwiw.