I've googled 1000 pages about VISTA and VPN's error 53 ... There are soooo many people who look for that problem and all they get is check if the firewall is on ... well the firewall is off and it still gives the same "System Error: 53 - Network Path not found" ... I even tried the VISTA's SP1 RC1 it still doesn't have the solution ... OK I spent 60 hours to google and figure out what the problem is ... it's not the firewall ... it's that VISTA's dial up module does not support 137 port through VPN and that's why we get error 53. P.S. my company buys a laptop every 2 months every contract we get, but now we have to buy a laptop and buy extra copy "Windows XP pro" and downgrade because of this problem ... I can only imagine how many people have to do the same after I saw the hundreds of people asking about the same problem ...

Hi, Thank you for the information. I appreciate the time and effort you invested on this issue. Based on my experience, however, the port 137 is used for NetBIOS Name Service. Suppose it has no relation with VPN. As a result, I would like to confirm the following points with you: 1. Is it a Microsoft based VPN Server? 2. Do the Windows Vista machines connect to the VPN Server with NetBIOS name? 3. Would you please provide the file indicating that VISTA's dial up module does not support 137 port through VPN for further research? Thanks. I look forward to your reply. Have a nice day. Sincerely, Joson Zhou Microsoft Online Community Support

We have agents with laptops in all over US, they have to VPN into our main office witch is no problem ... but after that vista laptop can't browse or access any share in the main office - they can ping them but no access just error 53 ... as far as I know this is up to 137, 138, 139 ports (SMB) ... now we've tried everything - turn off everything that is connected to firewall and defender, make loacal network and the VPN "Private netowrk",uncheck/disable IPV6, tried the SP1 CR1, net use \\server\share, net use \\server's_ip\share, enable NetBEUI, add main office's DNSs and WINSs, add servers to Hosts file and LMhosts file ,registry setting advised from googled pages, tried it on 4 different VISTA machines ... I also I've put XP and Vista configuration at home one next to each other - the difference is they both VPN, they both see the home network, but vista laptops can't see computers pass trough VPN ... P.S. I should also mention the servers are "Windows Server 2003 R2 SP2" and the main office is in domain...

Hi, Thank you for your response. Please confirm if the issue is similar with the symptom described in the following KB article 933468. If so, please refer to the resolution to fix it: You cannot access SMB shares on a corporate network through a Remote Access Service (RAS) connection from a computer that is running Windows Vista http://support.microsoft.com/?id=933468 For hotfix request, please use the following link: https://support.microsoft.com/contactus2/emailcontact.aspx?scid=sw;en;1410&WS=hotfix Hope it helps. Sincerely, Joson Zhou Microsoft Online Community Support

Applyed as instructed no effect ... second link kid a weird - nothing there ...

Hi, Please visit the following web site to request the hotfix: http://go.microsoft.com/?linkid=6294451 Thanks. Sincerely, Joson Zhou Microsoft Online Community Support