Question : Problem: VPN Connection made, but I can see nothing behind the Router

I would like to be able to access our small 15 machine network at the Factory from home, this is a UK installation
All the equipment is 3Com OfficeConnect and is identical at both sites , there is an ADSL Wireless Firewall Router accessing the BT Broadband facility, with a seperate VPN Firewall behind that, and then a Switch behind that.  The Factory has a Static IP address, at home it is Dynamic. I want to be able to map to the Server at the Factory so that I can access and update the Database it holds.  At both sites I use Static IP addresses in the 10.nnn.nnn.xxx range, say 123.123.xxx, where the nnn.nnn. is the same at both locations. However the OfficeConnect setup 'forces' me to use a different nnn.nnn, e.g. 123.124.xxx for the Routers LAN address. The Server is running W2k Server, all other machines - including home - run W2k Proffesional.
Using the Network wizard on the home machine, I have established a 'PPP' connection to the Factory and can see and log onto the Facrtory Router, but can see nothing beyond that, but my problem is I do not know what to expect. I have tried putting in the IP's of the Server, Networked printers etc. but nothing happens. I have tried reading various articles on here and Ports seem to figure as a possible problem, but which ones and where?  The main frustration is that I don't know what to look for, and I can't be at both sites at once as they are 60 miles apart!!
As always, any help greatly apprciated. Richard Clayton.

Answer : Problem: VPN Connection made, but I can see nothing behind the Router

Some random thoughts follow...

In simple terms, PPP is a mechanism for dialing into remote systems using a modem it stands for point to point protocol.  PPTP stands for Point to Point Tunelling Protocol and is quite different it is a mechanism for creating VPN tunnels from site to site.  IPSEC is a more secure version of PPTP.  You should be using PPTP or IPSEC.

You do want to get your office system to assign an IP address to your remote syetem.

On your home system you may have two network connections, the ethernet one and the VPN one.  Look at the IP properties of them both and check the Metrics entry.  If they are both set to automatic, try setting the Ethernet to 2 and the VPN to 1.  To test VPN's, send a ping down the tunnel to a known working computer at work (Command prompt:  ping 192.168.1.5 etc).  Once you can ping the rest usually drops into place.

J