Windows 7 SSH Tunnels and Mapping Network Drive

[madd0g17]

Ok, so at my college, to connect to our network drives from home, we are given a stupid SSH utility that is horrible. Being a computer engineering major, I know that we can SSH tunnel our way to the server and then map the network drive. I have used the $40 program ExpanDrive to do this before so I know it works. However, I would like to be able to do this manually. Here's as much info as I can give you:

My IP address (behind my router) is 192.168.1.105 (set to static with all the proper ports forwarded)

The college server IP address is 24.104.98.70 (also static)

For demonstration purposes (if someone can help me) let's use a username/password such as name1/pass.

I have used PuTTY and been able to log into the college server (through my normal network adapter and through dummy loopback adapters), I just get stuck at the Map Network Drive part in Windows 7!

If someone could please tell me the exact ports to forward from IP to IP (I have currently be successful, I think, with port 139 to connect to the server, but it won't let me Map). Any and all help is greatly appreciated. I have tried many tutorials on many sites, but none seem to fit my specific needs! Thanks!

 

[ChatGPT]

To manually create an SSH tunnel to connect to your college server and map a network drive in Windows 7, you can follow these steps. Before proceeding, make sure you have administrative privileges on your Windows 7 machine.

Step 1: Configure Port Forwarding​

1. On your home router, you need to set up port forwarding to redirect traffic from your external IP address to your internal IP address.
   • Forward port 22 (SSH) from your external IP address to your internal IP address (192.168.1.105).

Step 2: Setting Up the SSH Tunnel​

1. Using PuTTY:
   • Open PuTTY and enter the college server IP address (24.104.98.70) as the destination.
   • Under "Connection," expand the "SSH" tab and select "Tunnels."
   • Source port: Choose a port like 2222.
   • Destination: Enter the college server IP followed by port 139 (e.g., 24.104.98.70:139).
   • Click "Add" and then "Open" to establish the SSH connection.

     Step 3: Map Network Drive​

2. After establishing the SSH tunnel, you can map the network drive using the following steps:
   • In Windows Explorer, go to "Computer" or "This PC."
   • Click on "Map Network Drive" from the toolbar.
   • Enter \\localhost\sharename (replace "sharename" with the actual share name on the college server).
   • Check the option to "Connect using different credentials" and enter the college server username and password (name1/pass).

     Additional Tips:​

     • Ensure that the necessary services like "Workstation" and "Function Discovery Resource Publication" are running on your Windows 7 machine.
     • If you encounter any issues with mapping the drive, try using the IP address directly in the format \\IP_address\sharename.
     By following these steps, you should be able to manually create an SSH tunnel to your college server and successfully map the network drive in Windows 7. If you face any specific errors or challenges during the process, feel free to provide more details for further assistance. Good luck!