Windows 7 VPN Connects Successfully, But Cannot Ping or Access Host

I am new to VPN hosting and am attempting to setup a VPN so I can access my NAS while away from home. I have been running into a problem where I can successfully establish the VPN connection but I cannot ping or browse the host server.

My setup is as follows:

The host is running on my NAS behind a router at home with a static local IP. I am using DynDNS and DynDNS Updater on the server.

PPTP Pass-thru is enabled on the router and port-forwarding of TCP 3389 (for remote desktop) is directed to the server static local IP. Both the VPN server and the clients were setup using the built in VPN in Windows 7. On my laptop, while away from home, I can setup a PPTP VPN network connection and use my DynDNS address to successfully connect to the host server.

The VPN is successfully established (I can view the connection on the host server), but from the remote client I am not able to

1) Ping either the host server or any computer on my home LAN
2) Browse any shared files on the host server (using network drive mapping).

I have attempted connections both with and without "Use Default Gateway on Remote Network" checked in the Advanced tab of TCP/IP v4 options. When unchecked I can browse the internet on the client computer while connected to the VPN. I'm guessing this pushes local traffic through the local gateway when unchecked.

I have been reading up on the issue and read that it may be a subnet mask problem. When I do an 'ipconfig /all' from the client, I see that the VPN connection gives the following:

Connection Specific DNS Suffix: (Blank)
Description: VPN Connection
DHCP Enabled: No
Autoconfiguration Enabled: Yes
IPv4 Address: 192.168.1.26 (Preferred)
Subnet Mask: 255.255.255.255
Default Gateway: (Blank)
DNS Server: 192.168.1.1
NetBIOS over Tcpip: Disabled

Am I missing some obvious step here? Again, I am new to VPN so any help would be greatly appreciated.

SINGEMAGIQUE

No reply for you yet? I found your thread because I am looking for LAN to Client solution. This is common among Realty Offices with Agents out in the field and accessing the servers and LAN clients, and other LAN resources. You info is a good start. Another possibility is LOGMEIN•COM for you. It doesn't meet my needs, but I do use it elsewhere. I found bugs with their LAN solution, but the remote access works fine.

No solution - just empathy.

Just wondering whether you have to install the OpenVPN on your Windows 7 (on the server side). I followed the instruction on the other post, but still unable to ping or "see" local hosts after connected to the my local network.