Cannot resolve DNS names of internal network over VPN.

[rimmerchant]

Ok I just got a new router with VPN feature. I'm able to set up VPN

(using PPTP) access. (the internal network is local with standard

192.168.1.x mask 255.255.255.0)

I'm able to successfully make a VPN connection via mobile broadband card

on my laptop and connect to my internal network.

I can access the internal network machines via IP address only.
ex. I normally remote deskktop to the machine "FOXCONN". but through VPN

connection it would fail and only work if I put in the Internal IP

address of the machine "192.168.1.45"

Is there anyway to resolve this DNS lookup issue?

The Laptop is running Windows 7 x64 and the VPN client is the one built

into the OS.

[Nick_B]

To start, while VPN'd, I'd run "nslookup" and see which server you are querying DNS from. You can do this before and after you establish the VPN connection to see if it changes.

Are you positive that DNS is running on your local network? While connected locally, you could be connecting by name through a broadcast resolution or something else that isn't, in fact, DNS. While connected locally, run nslookup. At the prompt type "FOXCONN". What is returned?

[vertices]

I'm guessing you aren't running your own DNS servers at home? So you don't have your own local namespace? If not, then you are broadcasting for hostname resolution which usually doesn't work well over VPN. You can try to see if your VPN settings on your router have a setting for "Enable Windows Networking (NetBIOS) Broadcast" or something to that effect.

For the most part, on a home network with a VPN with no local namespace, you want to connect via IP.

If you have something at home like a NAS with a static IP and you want it to always resolve to the name NAS or whatever then modify your hosts file so your system can always resolve it.