Access server by NAME via VPN

[Mattaton]

My office has a small unRAID server running. I connect to my office remotely via Sophos VPN. When I connect, I can access all Windows machines by name, not just IP. But, the unRAID server can only be accessed by IP. If I'm in the office, I CAN access it by name.

 

What am I missing that makes the unRAID server only available by IP via the VPN?

 

Thanks!

[JonathanM]

1 hour ago, Mattaton said:

What am I missing that makes the unRAID server only available by IP via the VPN?

Local DNS over VPN. Not under Unraid's control, may be able to set it in Sophos somehow.

[Mattaton]

Yeah, that's the thing. It works for all other machines on the network, just not the unRAID server. Not sure what it is about that device on the network that makes it different.

 

But yeah, I can see where unRAID wouldn't be the culprit.

[JonathanM]

Windows name resolution doesn't completely rely on DNS, it has other methods it can use.

 

Easiest solution would probably be to just add a static entry to the remote machines hosts file.

[Mattaton]

Good call. I'll do that.

 

Thanks!

[xaositek]

@Mattaton - What's the chances that the other machines on the network are getting a DHCP from your DHCP Pool that's also your DNS server? Your unRAID server getting a static DHCP address from the same pool or does it have a static IP address you've manually assigned it? If it's the latter, manually add a DNS A record to your local DNS server with the unRAID IP address so you can resolve it.

 

Then yes whenever you're connected over the VPN, make sure you're passing your DNS requests across the VPN so it'd resolve all your local LAN hostnames.

[Mattaton]

12 hours ago, xaositek said:

@Mattaton - What's the chances that the other machines on the network are getting a DHCP from your DHCP Pool that's also your DNS server? Your unRAID server getting a static DHCP address from the same pool or does it have a static IP address you've manually assigned it? If it's the latter, manually add a DNS A record to your local DNS server with the unRAID IP address so you can resolve it.

 

Then yes whenever you're connected over the VPN, make sure you're passing your DNS requests across the VPN so it'd resolve all your local LAN hostnames.

All devices, including the unRAID server are getting IPs from a DHCP server that is also the DNS server. Then I set a reservation so it always gets the same local IP. I could probably still do something with the DNS to get the name to work, but I'm a bit of a novice on all that on Windows servers.

 

Genius. Added the A record and it works perfectly. THANK YOU!

Edited August 12, 2020 by Mattaton