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Accessing devices and files over VPN

Computers can only automatically detect other devices and display their names within the FRITZ!Box home network. To access shared files and printers or other devices in the remote network over a VPN connection, use the IP addresses of the respective devices.

1 Preparations

  1. Determine the IP address of the remote device that you want to access.

    Note:If a FRITZ!Box is used in the remote network, you can find the IP addresses of the devices under "Home Network > Network > Network Connections" in the user interface of the remote FRITZ!Box.

2 Accessing shared files and printers in a remote network

Windows 11

  1. Click the search symbol in the Windows task bar.
  2. In the search box, enter \\ followed by the IP address of the remote device (for example \\192.168.10.20) and press Enter.
  3. If you are asked for a username and password:
    1. Enter the name and password of a user who is authorized to access shares and devices.
    2. Enable the option "Remember me" and click "OK".
    • Now a window displaying all of the shares on the remote device opens.
  4. If you want to configure a folder as a network drive, right-click the folder, then select "Show more options" and then "Map network drive..." from the context menu. If the option "Map network drive..." is not displayed:
    1. Click "This PC" in the navigation area of the Explorer, and then click (More info) in the menu bar.
    2. Click "Map network drive". In the "Folder" field, enter the path to the folder you want to map as a network drive.

Windows 10

  1. In the search box in the Windows taskbar, enter \\ followed by the IP address of the remote device (for example \\192.168.10.20) and press Enter.
  2. If you are asked for a username and password:
    1. Enter the name and password of a user who is authorized to access shares and devices.
    2. Enable the option "Remember me" and click "OK".
    • Now a window displaying all of the shares on the remote device opens.
  3. If you want to configure a folder as a network drive, right-click the folder and select "Map network drive..." from the context menu. If the option "Map network drive..." is not displayed:
    1. Click "This PC" in the navigation area of the Windows Explorer and then click "Computer" in the menu bar.
    2. Click "Map network drive". In the "Folder" field, enter the path to the folder you want to map as a network drive.

macOS

  1. Open the Finder.
  2. From the "Go" menu, select "Connect to Server...".
  3. Enter the IP address of the remote device in the "Server Address:" field and click "Connect". If the remote device is a Windows computer, add smb:// in front of the IP address.
    • Now a window displaying all of the shares on the remote device opens.

      Example:
      To access shares on a computer running macOS, enter: 192.168.10.20
      To access shares on a computer running Windows enter: smb://192.168.10.20

  4. If you want to permanently add a folder to the Finder:
    1. Select the folder, and then select "Make alias" from the Finder menu "file".
    2. Drag the alias you made to the "places" area of the Finder.

Linux (using Ubuntu 20.04 LTS as an example)

  1. Open the file manager.
  2. Click "Other Locations" in the sidebar of the file manager.
  3. In the field "Connect to Server", enter smb:// followed by the IP address of the remote device (for example smb://192.168.10.20), and then click "Connect".
    • Now a window displaying all of the shares on the remote device opens.
  4. Open the folder you want to permanently add to the file manager.
  5. Right-click the corresponding folder in the sidebar and select "Add Bookmark" from the context menu.

3 Accessing devices in the remote network

How to access other devices differs depending on the manufacturer and type of device (for example IP cameras, servers), which is why we cannot give universal instructions:

  1. Configure access according to the manufacturer's instructions. Do not use a name, use the IP address of the device in the remote network instead. Refer to the manufacturer of the device for information on how to set it up, for example consult the manual.
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