# Can't map network drive over VPN



## csteenbock (Jun 2, 2011)

We have a user that works from home and connects to our network through a VPN when she needs to access files on our server (mapped as a shared drive.)
I created a new shared folder on that same server and she can't map a drive to it. It just continuously prompts for username/password.
She is running Win 7 Pro, server is Server 2008. The server is on a domain, she is not. She already has a mapped drive to a different folder on the same server as well as to a folder on another server. We are trying to map using the IP address (\\IP\Folder) and have tried putting the username as IP\Username and just Username with no luck. Tried mapping with net use. Found some stuff online about changing some registry values - tried that. Change the network type from "Home" to "Work" and still no luck.
This is driving me crazy as there are other folders she has been unable to map in the past. None of our other remote users have this problem...


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## DariusSupport (Apr 5, 2011)

Check her permisions to see if she is even allowed to see the folder that you want her to map too. if the other users have a logon script she might be missing it and causing the problem also.


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## csteenbock (Jun 2, 2011)

I created a new user to use to log in when mapping that folder. The only accounts that this folder is shared to are "Administrator" and "Owners" (the new one.) Her local account isn't authorized, but she should be able to connect as the "Owners" account if she puts in the username and password for it, correct? We have used something similar in the past with our normal users, before we implemented a domain.


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## DariusSupport (Apr 5, 2011)

csteenbock said:


> Her local account isn't authorized, but she should be able to connect as the "Owners" account if she puts in the username and password for it, correct?


If you have Active directory implemented, it would depend. The easiest way would be to create a group and simply add people to the group, including this person,that you want to have access to that folder. Do you have AD implemented, what method of authorizing are you using?


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## csteenbock (Jun 2, 2011)

We have AD implemented in the office, but not for remote users. She is a remote user. I created the "Owners" account on the server as a local account because of this. The folder is shared only to the "Owners" and "Administrator" local accounts. The other shared folder (the one that works) is shared to a domain group as well as a local account. She uses the local account to access that folder. Neither of the accounts local to the server are local to her machine


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## DariusSupport (Apr 5, 2011)

One way to achieve this is to set up a script so the vpn is connected before the people login, or in the vpn options, that way when the person logs in it is too the domain and not the local computer account. We have done this with a citrix vpn.


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## csteenbock (Jun 2, 2011)

So you're saying make their VPN connection emulate a domain account? I think that's beyond the scope of this problem. She should be able to access a shared folder on a domain using an account local to the server the folder is hosted on... This works for other people. She is the only one with the issue.


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## DariusSupport (Apr 5, 2011)

So you're saying make their VPN connection emulate a domain account?

No, through the options on the vpn client there should be an option for the vpn to connect to the domain before the user logs into the computer:

 the computer would boot, 
the user would do control/alt/delete, 
then with the option in the client the computer would make a connection using the vpn client, 
the connection would be made and then the vpn would ask the user for UN and PW. 
 After the vpn completes with the credentials the regular windows login would ask for the domain UN and PW of the person. 
This would allow the mapped drives to show through the vpn connection automatically. 

Just a thought, if this person is the only one with the issue someone should sit down with her and the computer and step her through it, she could be typing something in wrong or just not being patient enough to let things connect as they need too.


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## csteenbock (Jun 2, 2011)

OK I see what you are saying. The only problem with that is that she doesn't use the VPN all day, she only uses it to access files intermittently throughout the day. She has another mapped drive pointing to a different shared folder on the same server with the same kind of setup - she uses a local account to access that one and it works fine. There is another mapped drive to another shared folder on a different server set up the same way too. I've checked the permissions for each folder and they are the same except that the ones she _can_ connect to have permissions for domain users, which shouldn't matter since she is not a domain user anyways.


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## DariusSupport (Apr 5, 2011)

If i understand correctly what you are telling me, you should be considering her a domain user and not a local user as the person is using the accounts on the server now which would be domain user status. If you add her to the domain user membership then she should go right in. Let me know if I understood you correctly>


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## csteenbock (Jun 2, 2011)

She has her own local account on her machine that she uses. I set up another account on the server (not a domain account) that is granted sharing permissions with the folder. We are trying to map that folder on her machine. It asks for a username and password. She should be able to use the server's local user account, the new one I created. It doesn't work, though. It just keeps asking for username and password


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## DariusSupport (Apr 5, 2011)

it sounds like she is connecting through remote desktop, or is it a VM box on the server?


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## csteenbock (Jun 2, 2011)

There is no remote desktop or virtual machine involved. The VPN is only used to access mapped drives that are on our network. The drives are mapped to her local machine.


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## Rockn (Jul 29, 2001)

Just set up a batch file for them to run when they log in to the VPN. net use driveletter \\servername\sharename


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## csteenbock (Jun 2, 2011)

That doesn't work. It continually asks for the username and password


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## DariusSupport (Apr 5, 2011)

try \\servername\driveletter$, have you tried to put your UN/PW in when it asks her for them?


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## mucker2010 (May 24, 2011)

I'm going off your OP here...
If I have read it right I think I know what may be causing it but I want to clarify a few things first...

Did you say she already has a mapped drive to this server or is it another server?
Are there any other mapped drives and do these map to the same server or a different one?
You are mapping via IP address and not name?


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## mucker2010 (May 24, 2011)

I found it. I had this problem a while ago and it describes exactly what you are experiencing. I realised it must be this when you said it is connected ok with another mapped drive. But the second mapping won't work. You are probably mapping both drives with different usernames. This is not allowed in Windows, see following article http://support.microsoft.com/kb/938120. It also applies to Win 7.

This may not be obvious at first because it is not exclusive to drive mappings. Any connection you make to the server requires authentication ie you connect directly to \\IP\sharename without mapping it. This still keeps a session open using a username and password. If you are unsure there is an easy way to test it. Drop all mappings and connections to the server then try mapping the SECOND drive only and not the first. If this works then this is your problem. If you now try the first mapping it should fail.

You will need to map the drives with the same username and password. Please let me know if this works.


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