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Orbi and OpenVPN: cannot resolve computer name
I have OpenVPN succussfully setup on my Orbi router, and I can connect to my home network successfully using my iPad/VPN. However, when I then try to connect to a computer on my home network using the Microsoft Remote Desktop app on my iPad, I can only connect using the workstation’s IP address. Using the workstation’s computer name doesn’t work (although connection by computer name does work if I’m connected to the home network directly, rather than through the VPN).
I’m using No-IP (with the Netgear URL) as my DNS solution.
Any idea what I need to do in order to enable connection via computer name, vice IP address?
(I actually don’t care whether I use the IP address, I just want it to be static, so I don’t have the reconfigure the connection periodically).
I've found it difficult, if not impossible, to get name resolution to work on the iPad over VPN. The other problem is getting the iPad to use the DNS on your LAN and to use the correct search domain.
I just set my RDP servers with a static reserved LAN IP and connect based on the IP.
I use "Jump Desktop" on the iPad, which I would recommend. Jump lets you create a config for each server, and store the IP address in the config. That way you can effectively connect by name.
3 Replies
- The OpenVPN implementation on iOS uses a different IP subnet than the home network. Accessing Windows machines by name usually requires you to be on the same subnet. The problem has to do with the fact that broadcasts, which is what Windows name resolution uses, won't cross subnets. Unless you can figure out a way to program host names in the iPad, you're out of luck.
I've found it difficult, if not impossible, to get name resolution to work on the iPad over VPN. The other problem is getting the iPad to use the DNS on your LAN and to use the correct search domain.
I just set my RDP servers with a static reserved LAN IP and connect based on the IP.
I use "Jump Desktop" on the iPad, which I would recommend. Jump lets you create a config for each server, and store the IP address in the config. That way you can effectively connect by name.
Good to know that this is an expected issue, and not a bad configuration on my part. I enabled a static IP on my RDP server, and that appears to be a good solution. Thanks all!
