How to securely enable file sharing over PPTP on Windows 2008 Server

Posted by Damage on Server Fault See other posts from Server Fault or by Damage
Published on 2009-06-09T10:08:16Z Indexed on 2012/06/20 3:18 UTC
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I have set up a Windows SBS 2003 domain (LAN) and a stand-alone Windows 2008 Server (web server) at another location (workgroup). I established PPTP VPN connection (SBS dials web server) over which users from LAN should be able to access web server. On web server I enabled TCP/IPv4 and File and Printer sharing protocol. It has a few external addresses (one of them is default) AND one local address (192.x.x.x) assigned to network adapter. Firewall allows port 445 for file sharing.

There's the problem - I can not enable web server file shares to be visible to LAN users and ONLY to LAN users:

  1. From SBS I can access webserver but I cannot access webserver from LAN workstations (XP, Vista). I have had same configuration - I have just replaced old (web server) Windows 2003 server with 2008 so SBS settings are the same (static route, DNS etc.). How can I enable file sharing on web server for LAN workstations?
  2. Now I have opened File and printer sharing to the internet which is of course totaly unsecure. I tried to secure the tunnel so I moved RAS (VPN) connection (Network Center) on web server to "Private" profile and moved firewall port 445 to "Private" profile but suddenly file sharing does not work and I cannot telnet webserver on port 445. How can I secure file sharing so I do not have to open it to the internet?

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