OK, here is my situation. i am running a small network in my office (4 computers and 1 server) dhcp for the intranet is done by my linksys router the server is running windows 2003 server std it is acting as a file server, print server, acitve directory server, and a vpn server i am going to have 2-3 remote users. they will be using win xp home/prof. ive been testing out my vpn connection (thich is a pptp tunnel) - i can connect to the server with no problem. i however cannot see any of the domain resources at all. the only thing that remote users need access to is one of the shared folders on the server's hard drive. when i try entering a domain for my vpn connection i cannot authenciate, but when i remove the domain and only enter a username and password it connects. how do i get remote users to be able to access the shared folder on the domain? also - should i actually just switch over to a workgroup instead? if so, how i turn active directory off - and how to i manage vpn usernames without it

No, you dont have to go to a workgroup, a domain will work. Keep in mind though tht you will need to be on xp PRO and not home as Home will never work right as it cannot connect to a domain. have these computer had the nw id wizard ran to join the domain? Why not use SBS server instead of 2K3 for such a small setup?

we didnt have a need for sbs, and from what i read 2k3 server std has less problems then sbs. how, then do i go about getting the remote comptuers to be able to browse the domain? (at least the xp pro ones) im just learning about vpns, mostly on my own the only vpn connection ive ever setup before was a vpn connection to my school. to make that connection i didnt need to change my computers workgroup or anything. is it possible to do the same with my current setup?

I dealt with the same items just this week. It seems that with win2k3 vpn, one won't be able to browse the network computers or look at the shared resources. To be able to look at the shared directory or map the resources, one is supposed to add them one by one with the Add Network Place icon that is in the My Network Places (in Win XP/Pro). Of course, I guess the other detail is that the vpn client account must have the proper privileges to read and write the folder. After doing a lot of readings and visiting other boards to learn about the subject, it seems to me that doing Remote Desktop to the server works better since one will actually feel as if one is working within the office, but then it is not a good idea to give people that level of access to the server, but all resources were available and all software "runable". The only kink is that one can not print since the printing would actually come out at the server's local printer and not at the remote site...but I manage to email the needed files to myself. The solutions might not be elegant as the ones hears and reads about but one just have to do what is needed. Regards,

ive actually considered that, but like you said its not as elegant. also the user logged into the server through remote desktop couldnt open any of the word or excel documents on the server because the server doesnt have word or excel installed on it. im also pretty sure that RD connections arent as secure as vpns. im really considering switching my network back to a workgroup (since weve only got 5 users). can anyone tell me how to do that? (on the server) i really need help - ive got to get this remote access thing working by monday.

oh - also, the problem that im having is that when im connected to the server through the vpn connection i cannot see anything in my network places or in map network drive. the only thing in there is the computer im using.

You can add these needed items if you (once you are connected via VPN) Use the Search feature (Start, Search, Files and folders, computers and people). Type in the name of your server and it should appear as a result, then double click on it and you should see its shared resources. I did try to do the same to look for the other computers in the network but they were not found...I guess you can only get to the server in this setup (the set up where you only have one NIC in your server and a router/firewall, as opposed to a server with 2 NICs which acts also as a router/firewall/dhcp server.). But to over come issue you can simply map the drives of other workstations to the server and then have the server shared these resources. These resources should then appear available when you double click on the server in the Search Computer result screen and you can map them.