UNC path and networking

[Markus]

Anyone here know if you can tell from a UNC path whether the path leads thru
a wide area network?

That is, running access apps over a WAN can be slow. I would like to know
if a client is planning to run the app over a WAN by the UNC path they
provide to the server.

Is there something in the UNC notation that might suggest the possibility of
a WAN, or am I stuck with having to ask questions from the IT department on
their hardware setup?

Many thanks for any and all ideas on this,
Mark

 

[Jeff Boyce]

Markus

You may want to do a bit more research on using an Access db over a WAN. As
I recall, that configuration is subject to the types of network "hiccups"
that can corrupt an Access db. Try using your favorite on-line search tool
for "MS Access" and "WAN".

Regards

Jeff Boyce
Microsoft Office/Access MVP

 

[Douglas J. Steele]

You might want to start with what Albert Kallal has to say about using
Access over the WAN at http://www.members.shaw.ca/AlbertKallal/Wan/Wans.html

 

[Markus]

Yes, I do not wish to run Access on a WAN, but rather will recommend Terminal
Services if the client is planning to run on a WAN. But I need to know, from
the UNC path if possible, if a particular site will be running across a WAN.

Basically, the client will be forwarding me install info for each site. If
the UNC path indicates a WAN, I can make plans for that site to connect using
TS. Other sites running on a LAN will not need TS.

Anyone know something about UNC and whether there is anything in the path
syntax that might suggest the possibility of a WAN?

Thanks for any and all ideas,
Mark

 

[Douglas J. Steele]

Just knowing a UNC, it's not possible to know whether it's a LAN or WAN. You
have to ask.

 

[David W. Fenton]

Anyone know something about UNC and whether there is anything in
the path syntax that might suggest the possibility of a WAN?

None whatsoever. UNC is, by definition, an aspect of SMB networking
and doesn't work unless you've got an SMB connection. This is often
a VPN over the Internet, which is a WAN connection, but there is no
way at all to tell the difference between this WAN connection and a
wired LAN connection with plenty of bandwidth (likewise with WiFi,
which is also not good).