Introduction

Abstract

This article helps Windows 2000 network administrators troubleshoot remote access connections by providing information on how to isolate the problem component in a failed connection. This article describes the components of a remote access connection, the connection setup process, troubleshooting tools, and common remote access problems. This article assumes a basic level of understanding of remote access connections, networks, and their administration and familiarity with the online Help files for remote access in Windows 2000 Server Help. It is intended for network engineers and support professionals who are already familiar with TCP/IP, IP routing, IPX routing, and wide area network technology.

Introduction

A remote access connection allows computers to securely access organization intranets. Due to the large number of components involved in a remote access connection, when connections fail, they might not provide sufficient information to the administrator about what went wrong.

This article helps Windows 2000 administrators troubleshoot remote access connections by providing information on how to isolate the problem component in a failed connection. This article begins with a general introduction to the components of a remote access connection that are most likely to cause a problem and includes information on how to identify and isolate a component as the potential problem component. It then describes the connection setup process, which is critical to understanding the phases of a remote access connection and the information gathered by troubleshooting tools. Next, this article describes the tools used in troubleshooting and how to troubleshoot common remote access problems. It lists frequently occurring error IDs, describes how to trace events based on these IDs and refers to Microsoft Knowledge Base (KB) articles that contain the related solution.

Ultimately, creating a standardized methodology that administrators can use to efficiently track down the problem area and fix it can save precious time spent deciphering complex error logs. Administrators can reduce the time taken to fix a failed connection by using the information in this article as a tool and checklist. It will also help them to resolve issues on their own before calling Microsoft Product Support Services.

Windows 2000 remote access

Remote access technology as supported by Microsoft Windows 2000 Server allows dial-up or remote access clients to connect to corporate networks or the Internet. Using Windows 2000 remote access, remote access clients can either be transparently connected to the remote access server, known as point-to-point remote access connectivity, or be transparently connected to the network to which the remote access server is attached, known as point-to-LAN remote access connectivity. In most cases, point-to-LAN connectivity is used. This transparent connection allows remote access clients to connect from remote locations and access resources as if they were physically attached to the network.

Windows 2000 remote access provides two different types of remote access connectivity: dial-up remote access and virtual private network (VPN) remote access.

Remote access protocols control the connection establishment and transmission of data over a remote access connection. The operating system (OS) and LAN protocols used on remote access clients and servers dictate which remote access protocol your clients can use.

The following typically-used remote access protocols are supported by Windows 2000 remote access:

• Point-to-Point Protocol (PPP), which is an industry-standard set of protocols providing the best security, multi-protocol support, and interoperability.

• Serial Line Internet Protocol (SLIP), which is used by older remote access servers. While Windows 2000 remote access servers do not support SLIP, a Windows 2000 remote access client can use SLIP as a remote access protocol.