@Jimmy1982 

 

If you take the same computer you are using for the PPTP connection, and connect to the Wi-Fi of the TP-Link router (no PPTP), are you able to access the servers shared folders locally?

@Tony 

Yes I can

@Jimmy1982 

 

Even though the PC you want to see the files from is connected to the TP-Link router locally, create a PPTP VPN connection on it. Reference the 192.168 address of the router. Once the PPTP is set up on the local computer the remote will be able to see it. Log in to the TP-Link router and look at the VPN connections to see the IP of the local computer, now enter the SMB address on the remote computer to access it.

@Tony Okay let me understand you. You want me to:

 

a. Create a VPN for my local host computer (that host the SMB file)

b. Connect the local host computer through VPN onto local router (even when it is already hardwired onto the router)

c. Create a VPN for my remote laptop 

d. Connect the remote laptop via VPN onto the router

 

Is that correct? The reason I am asking because its odd you need to VPN your local host PC onto the router since it is already connected to the router. The only part that I do not understand is, what do you mean by "reference the 192.168 address of the router"

 

Thanks

@Jimmy1982 

 

Yes, that is how I was able to get it to work.

@Jimmy1982  I'm not sure if you got this working, but I wanted to let you know that after A LOT of Googling online and stumbling on this message board.  Tony's comment is correct.  Here's what I did to get things working on Windows.

 

In the TP-Link Router Admin Page:

1. Connect to the router.

2. Via Advanced > VPN Server

3. Add a new Account User

Username: <host-machine-name-with-smb-shares>

example:  MyServer

Password: <anypassword>

example: a-tough-password

4. Take note of the Starting and Ending client IP Range as there are only 10 clients allowed at the time of this writing.

 

On the Server or Host machine hosting the SMB shares:

** NOTE: My Host machine is an old Windows 10 box **

1. Go to Network & Internet > VPN

2. Click on Add a VPN Connection

3. Create a new Connection:

Connection Name: <call it anything>

example: TPLink-PPTP-VPN

Server name or address: <the default gateway>

example: 192.168.0.1

VPN Type: PPTP

Username: <the username from the router setup earlier>

example: MyServer

Password: <the password from the router setup earlier>

example: a-tough-password

4. Save the connection.

5. Click on the VPN connection and click on the Connect button.

6. Once connected, click on the VPN Connection > Advanced Options

7. Set the "Network Profile" from Public to Private.

Setting this to private should allow File share transfer over port 445.

 

In the TP-Link Router Advanced > VPN Server > Connections page:

1. Verify that the server is connected in the list of "PPTP VPN Connections".

2. Take note of the "Assigned IP" column.

 

On the Server or Host machine hosting the SMB shares:

** This is Optional **

1. While still on the VPN connection page, scroll down and click on  "Change Adapter Options"

2. Find the new VPN connection, named after step 3's "Connection Name".

3. Right Click on the connection and click on the "Networking" tab.

4. Click on the "Internet Protocol Version 4" then Properties button.

5. On the "General" tab, click on the "use the following ip address:

6. Enter in the IP Address from the "Connections > Assigned IP" field.

7. Click OK to all prompts.

 

So, at this point, your Server / HOST machine hosting the SMB shares can be access via 2 IPs:

1. The server can be access from any client on the internal LAN, 192.168.0.xxx

2. The server can be access from any client on the PPTP VPN, 10.0.0.xxx

 

** You can test this in windows by opening a new Explorer window and entering in:  \\192.168.0.xxx <-- IP of HOST Server

** You can test this in windows by opening a new Explorer window and entering in:  \\10.0.0.xxx <-- IP of HOST Server

** Confirm you see the same shares.

 

That's how I got it to work for me.