urgent help with remote desktop app please

[twisted-pixel]

Hi Folks,

I have a 2014 Macbook air running Yosemite (updated it last night)

I'm also using Dell SonicWall NETExtender to connect to my office VPN and then I use Microsoft Remote Desktop to connect to a couple of windows PCs in the office.

however, following the upgrade (I assume it's related) I can connect to the VPN but cannot connect to any of the machines in the office. I get an error message that I cannot connect.

While I search for a solution, is there any other Remote Desktop apps I could use?

 

[maflynn]

You'll need access to the remote computer for any remote access apps.
TeamViewer is what most people here use, and its free. I also like gotomypc, but that's not free.

In both cases you need to install a client app on the remote machine, so you cannot do this while away from the remote computer.

As for VPN, I'd look to maybe re-installing Mavericks since Yosemite broke you r VPN and that might be the quickest way to get it working

 

[twisted-pixel]

ok..managed to get it working, but had to switch to using IP addresses rather then the 'friendly' name of the devices I'm connecting to.

 

[Panch0]

ok..managed to get it working, but had to switch to using IP addresses rather then the 'friendly' name of the devices I'm connecting to.

I always use the FQDN (Fully Qualified Domain Name) of the remote PC, which I find works whether I am in the office or connecting remotely.

Instead of Just <hostname>
I use hostname.domain.net.

I use a software VPN Client and I find that using FQDN helps it resolve the remote address. Not sure how that applies to what I believe is a hardware based solution with the SonicWall.

You may have lost some network configuration in your OS X upgrade. Open Terminal and try running : nslookup <hostname>

See what server is being used for the dns lookup - that should probably be your sonic wall router, or possibly a server on the remote network. If it is trying to get it from your ISP's DNS Server, you aren't going to have much luck...

 

[willgreene99]

Until you figure out what happened, whether that means on your Mac or on the VPN internal network, you can do this for a quick fix:

Add an entry to your hosts file so that the IP address is tied to the friendly name, such as,

10.0.0.109 friendly name #This is the main app server or your notes about the server here

This way you can refer to the friendly name and your Mac will resolve the name to the IP.