PC to PC On Different Subnet. Is It Possible? Should I?


  1. Posts : 3
    W10
       #1

    PC to PC On Different Subnet. Is It Possible? Should I?


    Hi everyone. First time here.

    I finally have a router that uses VLAN's. My VLAN's are all separated with a few firewall rules that accept certain rules between certain subnets. I am using the VLAN's for security purposes in hopes of isolating a problem from infecting my entire network.
    I have two PC's on separate subnets that I would love to be able to transfer files one way only. In other words only from PC-A to PC-B and never the other way. B to A.
    One PC is W10 and the other is Linux. I can run a Samba server on the Linux machine to see the files on W10. Directions are here.
    Since I have moved the two PC's to different subnets, I can no longer see the shared folder on PC-A from PC-B.

    My questions are these;
    1. If I do find a way to transfer files from A to B will this make my security measures with regards of separating the VLAN's meaningless?
    If this is true I will probably keep my air gap and transfer files from A to B with a USB device.
    2. Does anyone know of a way to have PC-B see a shared folder on PC-A and pull files from A to B. Again both PC's are on different subnets?

    Any help and your thoughts are appreciated.
    Thank you.
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  2. Posts : 2,068
    Windows 10 Pro
       #2

    The fact that your PC's are on different subnets means that they are technically on different networks. In order to get traffic from one network to the other network you need a router to route the traffic.
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  3. Posts : 3
    W10
    Thread Starter
       #3

    pparks1 said:
    The fact that your PC's are on different subnets means that they are technically on different networks. In order to get traffic from one network to the other network you need a router to route the traffic.
    Thanks for the reply.
    My router allows traffic I select between my subnets I select using firewall rules so that is not the problem. I can create any rule I want to allow traffic and narrow it down to a network, IP, port or mac address.

    My questions here pertain to Windows 10 file explorer to file explorer on linux PC and more explicily, the details within those two applications talking to each other.
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  4. Posts : 1,208
    11 Home
       #4

    What exactly do you mean by "I can no longer see the shared folder"? What error message does it show when you try to open the folder? On the Windows 10 machine, can you ping the Linux machine?

    In services.msc, make sure that Function Discovery Provider Host and Function Discovery Resource Publication are set to Automatic and are running. Check that Computer Browser is running.

    In answer to your question, how to access a network share by using Explorer on Windows 10,
    How to Add and Remove a Network Location in Windows 10

    As another option, there's also the traditional-old way, i.e., by mapping a network drive, and that lets you assign a drive letter to a shared folder─and that also will appear under Network Locations in This PC on Windows 10. One of the benefits of adding a network location instead of mapping a network drive is that you don't have to assign another drive letter so basically it's a special type of shortcut that is stored in the %AppData%\Microsoft\Windows\Network Shortcuts folder, and the target of which is the UNC path of the shared folder.

    Both of these two different options give you the freedom to decide whether you want to pin the item to the Quick Access area in Explorer on Windows 10. Creating an NTFS junction by using mklink /J from a command window or by using the free Link Shell Explorer also works in both cases so, for example, it is possible to choose a different name for how you want it to appear in the Quick Access area in Explorer if that's what you want. Creating a normal shortcut (.lnk) also works in both of these two different cases, and also works if, instead, you choose to simply just enter the UNC path in the target field of a normal shortcut's properties window panel or in the address bar of Explorer.
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  5. Posts : 11,246
    Windows / Linux : Arch Linux
       #5

    pparks1 said:
    The fact that your PC's are on different subnets means that they are technically on different networks. In order to get traffic from one network to the other network you need a router to route the traffic.
    @Jamr

    Hi there
    You can get round that problem - certainly on Linux systems -- create 2 Virtual Nics and a virtual Network.

    Define one Network say as say ISOLATED and refer it to a Virtio Nic .
    Define the other one as a Macvtap device and have it "bridged" to your NIC you are using for the "Isolated" Network

    Now you should be able to access the main machine using the address of the isolated network

    e.g for a virtual network

    <network>
    <name>isolated</name>
    <ip address="192.168.254.1" netmask="255.255.255.0">
    <dhcp>
    <range start="192.168.254.2" end="192.168.254.254"/>
    </dhcp>
    </ip>
    </network>

    Then you should be able to access the network from the other machine at in this case 192.168.254.1 - it's a Linux NAS -- SAMBA server -- change for your configuration.

    Here's a Windows WK19 server (should be the same for W10) able to see / share files with the NAS server both ways.

    PC to PC On Different Subnet. Is It Possible? Should I?-screenshot_20210402_115927.png

    PC to PC On Different Subnet. Is It Possible? Should I?-screenshot_20210402_120005.png

    PC to PC On Different Subnet. Is It Possible? Should I?-screenshot_20210402_121329.png

    The remote files etc are accessible at 192.168.254.1 in this case so Windows can see files at that address.

    The SAMBA system should be able to see the Windows files at address 192.168.1.68 in this case or even via it's net name.

    Not sure how to do this in Windows Networking but I'm sure its possible without having to go through convoluted hardware solutions - especially on HOME networks where even if you have several different physical NICS you still have a single Router even with a fibre connection to your ISP there will only be 1 WAN connection.

    BTW I'd suggest using something like filezilla for transferring files - it uses sftp which is more secure than SAMBA / SMB -- works on both Windows and Linux -- but if SENDING files FROM Windows TO Linux (or other Windows systems) enable the openssh-server in the install optional extras on Windows. OPENSSH-CLIENT is installed by default on Windows. Enable SSH on Linux as well and start the service.

    Cheers
    jimbo
    Last edited by jimbo45; 02 Apr 2021 at 06:37.
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  6. Posts : 2,068
    Windows 10 Pro
       #6

    Jamr said:
    Thanks for the reply.
    My router allows traffic I select between my subnets I select using firewall rules so that is not the problem. I can create any rule I want to allow traffic and narrow it down to a network, IP, port or mac address.

    My questions here pertain to Windows 10 file explorer to file explorer on linux PC and more explicily, the details within those two applications talking to each other.
    You can create rules to allow the traffic. Can you telnet to the ports (445 for file sharing)? Routing there is certainly your issue. Can you ping your other host? I'm certain without a route to the other network you cannot.

    What router do you have, maybe it allows you to build a route table to handle the layer 3 routing.
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  7. Posts : 1,208
    11 Home
       #7

    Routers do not normally forward b-node broadcasts. NetBIOS over TCP/IP uses b-node broadcasts for name resolution and registration on your local LAN segment. If you want your router to forward b-node broadcasts, you must enable UDP forwarding on ports 137 and 138.

    - - - Updated - - -

    Using Samba - 5.1.4.1 Multiple subnets
      My Computers


  8. Posts : 11,246
    Windows / Linux : Arch Linux
       #8

    Hi folks
    Virtual Networks and Virtual routing does it all ---

    Here's a good document on the process -- I assume in your case the subnets are for different physical machines rather than a number of VM's hosted on the same Host with different subnets.

    concept explained in this doc if you need more info -- no need for extra hardware. I showed an example of a Virtual network in my ist post (that was for a number of VM's with different subnets on the same HOST though).

    VRFs, VLANs and subnets: difference - Network Engineering Stack Exchange

    Some more "Light Bedtime Reading"

    Firepower Management Center Configuration Guide, Version 6.6 - Virtual Routing for Firepower Threat Defense [Cisco Firepower Management Center] - Cisco

    Just look at the Virtual router stuff - forget all the "Cisco specific " bits.

    It's basically quite simple to get working.



    Cheers
    jimbo
      My Computer


 

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