YPN Client won't discover remote computers

[jimgurley]

I have two issues with my system, which is a W7Pro connecting via Client 5.0.07.0440 to an ASA router on my work network.

It works for most things, but browsing across the VPN is unpredictable.  Rarely, the remote devices are visible, but usually, I can't access them, except via remote desktop.  If I just want to move a file between them, I can't do it.  I can ping them just fine, but a "search" in Windows Exploer can't find them.

I do have a daily Scheduled Task that starts the client and transfers a file, and it works, which doesn't make sense, except that is uses a specific remote url?

The second problem is that after a few days of uptime, starting the Client won't open the GUI nor does it indicate the "padlock" in the alert area.  After a reboot, the client opens normally for awhile.  Despite this inabiltiy to access the client, my daily task still completes properly, so it must be something cosmetic.

Anyway, I have Network Discovery turned on for ll my networks, so that doesn't appear to be the problem.  Maybe it has something to do with starting the Client when it's already running?

[Jouni Forss]

Hi,

Sounds to me like the discovering of the hosts might be based on broadcast on the local network rather than having some name service or static mapping of name/IP in place.

Naturally in the VPN Clients case you are in a totally different network and broadcast traffic doesnt get through the ASA so that might be the reason that you can see your local computer through the VPN Client connection but the connections that refer to the destination host specifically might work.

I would suggest mapping drives staticly on the VPN Client host and trying if the connection works then.

The above is atleast my understanding atleast on what the problem could be.

The problem with the VPN Client sounds like something some of our users have had in the past. I have only seen one user having this problem though. You could try to get the latest version of the Cisco VPN Client if you have access though your version is pretty current if I remember correctly.

Naturally your ASA should probably have the basic license for 2 AnyConnect VPN users that might work better with your OS. That would ofcourse required that you have the Anyconnect image file on the Flash of the ASA.

- Jouni

[jimgurley]

I can map a drive directly, so I guess the problem is abated, if not solved.  I have to pay an expensive consultant to do any changes to the ASA, so I guess I'll live with what I've got.