Windows: Connect to multiple shares on multiple FQDNs on same IP with different FQDN

As my title says, I want to connect from a Windows workstation to multiple shares on multiple FQDNs on the same IP with a different FQDN (Windows workstation or server).

Of course I know about the hosts file and set up the needed redirect. But Windows prevents me to connect to Shares with multiple FQDNs.

Example:

Workstation has the IP 192.168.1.123 and the DNS name testworkstation1.nonsense.com
192.168.1.123 wants to access the following network shares on 192.168.1.234 with the following FQDNs: \\testdomain.test1.testing.com\share1 and \\thisisatest.bla.notest.com\share2.
I configure my hosts file to redirect testdomain.test1.testing.com to 192.168.1.234 and redirect thisisatest.bla.notest.com to 192.168.1.234.
Till now it makes sense, but now comes the problem: Windows (on 192.168.1.234) seems to prevent access to other hostnames than workstation1.companyenvironment.com. But I need to access it as testdomain.test1.testing.com and thisisatest.bla.notest.com too.

My question now: Is there a registry hack or a policy I can set to make this possible? I tought I've read something like this, but I can't find it anymmore.

Andy

Posted 2013-09-09T13:32:30.127

Reputation: 23

What actually happens when you try? Do you get an error message? What is it? Can you ping it by the added host names? Can you access the target PC/share by IP address? Have you ensured no firewalls or anti-virus suites are blocking you? – Ƭᴇcʜιᴇ007 – 2013-09-09T14:03:03.277

I can't access it. I can ping the target of course without any problem on every FQDN, I can access the target by its original name and firewall/antivirus isn't a problem. It has something to do with the security of Windows. I was able to get it done a few years ago, but I can't find the information. I only remember that I had to change something in the registry. – Andy – 2013-09-09T17:52:38.920

What actually happens when you try? Do you get an error message? What is it? Did you close all other connections to the share (net use <drive> /del) before attempting to connect other versions of it? – Ƭᴇcʜιᴇ007 – 2013-09-09T17:53:47.220

I access it directly via UNC path and don't map it to a drive. This can't be the problem. I get the message that it can't access the target path. I know the solution was to disable a verification check on the target (via registry) which checks if the target is accessed by the right FQDN. It works by IP. Only the verficiation of Windows is the problem. – Andy – 2013-09-09T18:01:45.520

This is reproducable with every default windows installation and two servers/workstations. – Andy – 2013-09-09T18:17:41.073

I remember this now. I'll put in an answer. – Ƭᴇcʜιᴇ007 – 2013-09-09T18:20:44.857

Sounds great :) I've searched for hours already... – Andy – 2013-09-09T18:22:57.407

Wow, thanks a lot! This seems like exactly what I was searching for. I'll try it out and will give feedback when I've tried at office. – Andy – 2013-09-09T22:33:20.413

Thanks a lot for your great help! It worked perfectly and the linked article covers a lot details. The only thing what I wasn't able to get it done, is to do it with one machine (local shares but with different DNS names). – Andy – 2013-09-16T15:44:30.450

Windows: Connect to multiple shares on multiple FQDNs on same IP with different FQDN

Answers