RB450G, ROS v4.5

I am trying to set up a VPN-connection from a laptop running WinXP to my local lan using PPTP server.
I have managed to establish the connection, and can ping hosts both ways using ip adresses, but not by using host names, as netbios udp broadcasts does not pass through the connection.
Here is what I did:

1. IP POOL -> added new address pool for PPTP clients: "pptp-pool" "192.168.0.201-192.168.0.209" (192.168.0.x is my local lan)
2. Bridge -> added bridge "lan-bridge" on "ether3-lan" and enabled proxy-arp on this bridge
3. PPP Profiles -> added new profile "profile-dialin", local address="192.168.0.1", remote address="pptp-pool" bridge="lan-bridge" DNS server="192.168.0.1"
4. PPP secrets -> added new user name="myself" password="mysecret" profile="profile-dialin"
5. PPP Interface -> enabled PPTP server and created a new interface: name="pptp-dialin" type "PPTP Server"
6. IP Firewall -> added new filter rule: chain="input", protocol = 6(tcp), dst port ="1723", in interface= ether1-internet, action="accept"
7. on the laptop I set up a VPN dialler using PPTP to "mydomain.net" with user "myself" and password "mysecret".
With this setup I can now establish a connection from the laptop and ping hosts on the lan. BUT: I can not refer hosts on the lan using hostnames, because UDP broadcast does not make it across the bridge.
Here is what happens:
Using Tools->Torch, I can see Udp netbios broadcasts from the vpn client (laptop) on both the pptp interface created when user "myself" logs in _and_ on the "lan-bridge", but they are not passed on to the lan.
When i "Torch" on the lan and the bridge, I can see udp netbios broadcasts coming from the lan, but they are not passed on to the pptp connection.
I have tried to add a filter rule on the bridge to forward broadcast packets, but I have probably made an error here!
Please note that both the pptp clients profile and the lan are on the same subnet (192.168.0.0/24) with the same broadcast address, but have slightly different DHCP ranges.
Somehow the UDP broadcast packets "falls in the river" on their way across the bridge, and I cannot understand why.
Suggestions/solutions are very welcome.

You need WINS server.

Thank you for a quick reply.
The problem is I only run XP on my net, and have no Windows Server to run WINS on.
Why doesn't the Bridge support udp broadcast when both ends of the bridge are on the same subnet? Does this also mean that a default WebBox configuration where ether2..ether5 are bridged, doesn't support udp broadcast between the interfaces? Isn't there some setting or filter to allow broadcasts across bridges?

I have also tried a workaround using static addresses and DNS, but there is an issue that the built-in DNS proxy/server requires at least one '.' (dot) in the hostname to work (e.g. "host14.") . I will post this in another group.

regards
knut

What's the subnet mask for the PPTP assigned address the laptop shows when on the the VPN?

Also, if you have a static network you can work around this with a simple LMHOSTS file.

AFAIK Samba server on Linux is capable to provide WINS services in the network.

thank you fewi and janisk,

the subnet mask is /24 (255.255.255.0), but from reading a lot of articles and manuals, I think the problem may relate to that there is no ip-address assigned to the bridge. If I have time, I will try that tonight.

Thanks for info about samba and wins. If I replace my current fileserver running xp workstation ond an old Dell Dimesion 4550 with a Synology Diskstation, that is certainly a good option.

regards knut