VPN Help, Connected-can't see folder

Hello ATS'ers. Thank you in advance for any help you may be able to provide.

My Dilemma:
I have finally figured out how to connect to our VPN on our sever, and I can see under network connections that I am connected with the proper username and password. However, I cannot see my folder, or anything for that matter in reference to my VPN connection. I tried dragging-and dropping the connection (down by the clock) to no avail.

I even tried typing in the server address like this: 173.XXX.XXX.XX and chrome opens telling me it can't find the web page?..

What I need:
A folder on my desktop to my VPN connection.

Give this a try:


To connect, create a shortcut to

%windir% > system32 > rasdial.exe "VPN NAME" USERNAME PASSWORD /DOMAINOMAIN

So for example

%windir% > system32 > rasdial.exe "MyVPN" reguser validpass /DOMAIN:MEDIA

(Note that the /DOMAIN flag is optional and not required if connecting to a domain is not necessary)
(%windir% = C:Windows directory, or C:WINNT, etc. Wherever you windows installation is located.)


In the case of the /Domain part, depending on how its setup you may need to define this giving it a path so to speak to your folder, such as this /Staff:samlf3rd Where "Staff: defines the accessible root directory for you, and samlf3rd indicates to connect you to your personal folder.


To disconnect, create a shortcut to

%windir%system32rasdial.exe "VPN Name" /DISCONNECT

So for example

%windir%system32rasdial.exe "MyVPN" /DISCONNECT

Hope this helps.

reply to post by imtheweasel


Okay I am a little confused. Should I right click on the desktop-create a shortcut, or run a command prompt?
Can I do this in map a network drive?
Sorry, and thank you.

reply to post by samlf3rd


You just create a custom shortcut on the desktop. You could do it as a network mapped drive as well, but you will need to first be connected to the vpn, and then when you create a new mapped drive, tell it to use different login credentials, and input your vpn info, and browse to the folder under your network options that is yours. If it shows up. Most of the time i never have much luck with mapping drives like that.

reply to post by imtheweasel


I got it! Thank you for your help.
Since I was already connected to a VPN I just needed to point the shortcut to: \\192.168......
I kept trying it without the \\ I forgot I was already connected to a local network.

reply to post by samlf3rd


Awesome! Glad you got it working.