Accessing localhost on multiple computers [Answered]

[jprydd]

Hello

I'm currently running the latest version of XAMPP to build a website offline using Drupal. All the XAMPP and associated web files are saved on a server. I have one PC which links to the server directly and can edit the site with no problem. I have a second PC based offsite which accesses the server through a VPN connection. Is there any way I can edit the local site using this second PC. At the moment I'm getting an error message saying the link is broken.

Thanks

[Altrea]

http://IP-of-the-webserver/ ?

[jprydd]

Tried to do that but it just seems to bring up the usual homescreen for when you try to connect to the server using VPN (i.e. a 'Welcome to Windows Small Business Server' page).

I read somewhere that you can allow other computers to access the localhost by altering the Apache config file so that it accepts the other computer's IP address???

[JonB]

A VPN is NOT a 'remote connection' as far as the client is concerned, you are effectively 'joining' the host network.

see if you can ping the local address of the machine that is hosting XAMPP from the remote computer's Command prompt.

[jprydd]

Would that be the server, where the website files are stored and where the XAMPP programme files are stored?

Tried that and the request keeps timing out...

[JonB]

Would that be the server, where the website files are stored and where the XAMPP programme files are stored? -- "YES"

Tried that and the request keeps timing out...

If the IP you are trying to reach is a Local IP ON THE HOST NETWORK - then you have identified the issue, its a VPN configuration problem.

in such a case the address browser address might be http://192.168.11.201 for instance. You might try adding :80 to the address.

BUT if you can't ping it and it times out, you have a routing issue.

Its possible that kind of tunneling is not enabled or supported, VPN clients are fairly unique to vendors - you should look to the vendor docs or the vendor support site/helpdesk/forum to see if that is supported in your case.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Virtual_private_network

Is the server exposed though a non-vpn IP? That might be the easiest route.

That's probably all I can offer on this.

Good Luck

[jprydd]

That's great, thanks for the advice. I'll see what I can do