Windows file sharing between VPN server and client

[rpraleigh]

I've set up a VPN connection between two computers using the PC to PC VPN instructions, with the server running on the computer that has some shared Windows folders I want to be able to access remotely and the client installed on the remote machine. I'm able to make a VPN connection without any problem. I set up port forwarding on the router of the server machine so I could get a direct connection without having to use dynamic dns. Everything about the connection appears to be working fine. But what I can't do is figure out how to see the shared folder on the server computer from the client computer after the vpn connection has been made. Both computers are Windows machines, and both computers can see shared folders on the local network, so I know that file and printer sharing is turned on properly. No IP address or machine name I've tried as a Windows share connection (\\server\shared_folder) results in me being able to connect to folders that have been shared on the server machine. I would love to hear some ideas about what I might be doing wrong and how to troubleshoot it.

[solo]

Client PC unable to reach shared directory on Server PC