Mapping network drives across a WAN

I have mapped network drives across our WAN and installed an automatic backup on the remote pc's. When the users boot up and sign on the network drive connects with no problem. Somehow though the drives come undone before their lunch hour when the backup starts itself. If they manually run the backup as soon as they boot their machine there is no problem - but x hours later the connection is broken. Is it just poor communications between the sites or some other problem?

 

I think that this is something that happens everywhere. Microsoft's mapped drives tend to lose their link if there is no activity between them after a set time period. I think that it was designed this way to save bandwidth. I'm sorry that I am not able to tell you where to set the default time out to never though. Let me pick the brain of the MCSE next to me and see what I can find out for you.

 

No need to appoligize - I'm just happy to know I'm not in some freak situation here. I'll be on the edge of my seat to hear from your mcse

 

how are the shares created and conected, ideally you should be using some form of VPN to accomplish this, not only is it more secure, it also has provisions to reconnect if you lose the link due to poor communications.
If you're simply conecting to a netbios share on port 139 then you probably experience issues given your connection speeds and quality.

 

I've created a shared folder for each user, and added the user and pw protected each folder on a win/2000 pro machine. When the user boots their own mahine and logs on the network drive is reconnected. No netbios...

 

if you're simply connecting to a mapped drive at an IP address then that is using standard windows networking, on port 139. I would recommend setting up VPN conections for those users.

 

At the risk of revealing my ignorance - how exactly do I create VPN connections for them? I have my fingers on the home keys - you take it from here

Thanks

 

well, you need to enable VPN services on your router, then route the port numbers to your server. It needs to have a static IP address. You could also do this with a DMZ, but just routing the ports is safer. Go into your server and find the routing and remote access control panel. This will walk you through how to set up the vpn. Assign what users have access to the VPN in active directory. Now, simply map your remote workstation drives to the server, and run your backup through the servers VPN connection. One connection to back up multiple remote workstations.
Of course you could also setup a server to do terminal services, this would keep all of the data in one location, users would just erminal in using RDP. This is very efficient, especially if you're using network programs, out compnay has used terminal server for our POS software in multiple locations for some time, it's very simple and pretty solid.

 

Hey danman, or anyone else for that matter, i could really do with you help, pretty please.

I'm wanting to map the network attached storage system (which resides in the office) to my pc at home. I have a dlink dns 320 with 2tb setup in raid1 in the nas.

I also have a ddns account and static ip address too.

running windows 7 both at home and work.

I would greatly appreciate any help you could offer.