VPN to Access Local Drive

VPN
1

Explain this to me like I’m a moron (because, hell, maybe I am!).

I was helping my wife with a Word doc on her work laptop. It needed to access the C:\ drive but kept “Not Responding.” She said, Oh you have to sign into the VPN.

And I thought, that’s absurd. Not to access local files.

But, yup, once she signed on to the VPN everything was hunky dory.

So… How do that work!?!

2

her company might have added software that requires you to log in to their vpn to access files

to many companies, those “local files” you are looking at are still theirs, so they might want secure access only

3

ur not giving enough details. My assumption is that ur modifying the file from a network drive (or windows “sharing” feature). Since ur system is not on the same network as hers, a VPN would be required.

4

That’s kinda what I presumed, I just didn’t know it could work that way and don’t really understand the mechanics behind it.

5

I described literally what I did.

  • I opened MS Word on her laptop.
  • I clicked “File=>Open=>Browse” and selected a file on her C:\ drive.
  • It hung and said “Not Responding”.
  • She signed on to her corporate VPN.
  • The file opened.

Nothing about my system. And, no, as stated in OP, I was not modifying from a network drive.

6

you can create “file shortcuts” - i.e. files that contain no data except a “link” to another file.

so your wife probably has files on her C: drive that look like word documents, but are actually just links to word documents on a network drive.

which is what u/RPTrashTM was trying to tell you here

you can tell a shortcut because the file icon has a little arrow in the corner (like these).

7

I’d look at the file property to see if it’s really a local file because, from the sound of it, that file is definitely not living on the C drive.

8

Thanks for explaining Windows 95. This was a docx on her C drive. It’s okay if you don’t know the answer - I don’t either.