Windows
Shared drive unavailable on the office network without VPN
The computer could not reach a shared drive while on the office network and still needed VPN to connect. The issue was resolved by correcting the network switch port configuration.
Killed once by someone from XL.net, on 2026-05-19.
What you see
- Shared drive access fails while the computer is in the office unless VPN is connected.
Why it happens
Likely The network switch port was configured incorrectly, which prevented normal shared-drive access on the office network.
When it shows up
A Windows computer can reach an internal shared drive only when VPN is connected, even though it is already in the office.
You are in this case if:
- Shared-drive access works only with VPN enabled on the office network.
- The problem affects internal file-share access rather than general internet access.
1 fix below
The steps that killed it
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Someone from XL.net killed this on a Windows computer on 2026-05-19. It is written up from that one repair, so it cites no outside page.