Using local drives with a remote network.?

Question

Hi, I'm trying to help my father here. He uses a VPN for work and does everything through the work server, including private letters. He now needs to copy his work to a USB flash drive, however the PC, although it did acknowledge the flash drive as new hardware, doesn't display local drives when connected to the VPN. I know it can be done as previously he was able to use a local printer. Using XP. Any help very much appreciated.

Thanks - great answers. I have already now spoken to the IT lady, as advised by Knight_T and Serenity, and they'll get on the case in Jan. For now I can't pick a best answer so I'll give it a few days and see if I get anywhere with Slick's answer. (I like the other ones better as they suggest this isn't me being ignorant!)

Answer 1

Whats he using for his VPN connectivity? ATT? Nortel?IPASS?

Look at the "settings" or "configuration" within the client of those programs and see if there is a place where it mentions something along the line of "bring local resources to remote source" or something like that.

Look in to that and report if you need further help but this should lead you in the right direction.

Answer 2

This was always buggy to begin with, if he is using the way of remote work that I think your talking off, being a VPN and remote desktop.

You used to be able to map local drives to a remote computer, but I am pretty sure that in the latest release of Terminal Server / Remote Desktop Connection, they removed the ability to map local drives to a remote computer.

If he could map the drives directly, and not through a remote desktop connection, then he could easily copy files onto a usb drive.

If his company has this sort of connection, they should also at least have someone responsable for managing it, and hey will know how they have set up remote access, and give him detailed instructions how to do it, and if it is allowed.

Answer 3

There are Group Policy and Local Security policy which enable the use of drives from remote computers. He would need to talk with his work IT department and ask them to enable his computer to transfer data from work, to the USB port on his computer. He can't do this on his own, as work is involved.

If, for instance, you and he were attempting to setup a situation where one or both of you could send data to each other and then use a local drive to copy the data too, it would be easily setup if you both had XP/Vista Pro or even XP Media Center Edition as this OS is based on XP Pro.

XP Home or Vista Home basic/premium, do not have this capability. They stripped Vista Premium down and I am not too happy about that. Now, if I wish to configure such issues as you discuss here, and many others, my only choice is to stick with XP Pro or Media Center, or buy the most expensive Vista edition, which is Ultimate, because Vista Business is only offered to businesses. They are beginning to offer Business in some stores, but it is still limited, and it does not have the multi-media features that Ultimate does. Microsoft arranged it this way on purpose, to have more individual purchasing or upgrading to Ulimate. How sad, and pathetic. It makes me want to move to the Mac, but I have so much invested in Windows now, that it would cost far too much. Now I have Windows Home Server and so there isn't any going back for me. lol

Have your dad speak with his work's IT department and explain what it is he needs to do. They can either set it up permenently, or on a temp basis, as it can be a security risk, allowing remote drives to remove data off of work systems.