Question

Netware 6.5, DHCP, XP SP2 and Cisco 4.6.03.0021 client

Asked by: Mixmangle

I know there will be responses like, update the VPN client or Update XP to SP3. Those aside <g> Please let me know what might be at issue here.

Newly reformated Dell GX 620 with integrated broadcom 57xx nic (latest drivers from Dell).  Netware 6.5 server and DHCP. Computer connects fine. All is well, stable for several days catching up on Windows Updates and Setting up Outlook/ Exchange connection.  

This commuter needs to connect to another corporate netwrk via VPN and that company provided a configured Cisco vpn client, 4.6.03.0021

The moment I install the vpn client and the machine reboots as part of the installation, network connection is trashed at reboot.  Initially, it sees the server, logs on and gets 3/4 way thru the logon script.  Then the NIC disconnects.

I check and see the VPN is still in a disabled state, try to repair the LAN connection (repair, release, renew, etc . . .) and it no longer accepts dhcp and reports back the 169.xx.xx.xx as IP.

I can leave it alone at this point and I will see it connect for a few seconds and then see it disconnect again - - -back and forth a few times until it giives up.  Reboot, same thing.  I can uninstall the VPN and force a reinstall of NIC and I can get it back up to where it's right as rain again, until I reinstall the client.

But I can make all of this go away if I assign a static IP address to the machine.    

Remember, DHCP works fine before the VPN client is installed.  

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Asked On
2009-09-17 at 12:59:23ID24741240
Topic

Novell Netware Network Software

Participating Experts
5
Points
250
Comments
12

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Answers

 

by: giovannicoaPosted on 2009-09-17 at 13:50:31ID: 25360930

Hi,

ok. It's clear that your VPN client interact with Windows and make unstable the DHCP request.
Please, can you post ? :
- IPCONFIG /ALL with VPN client and static IP
- IPCONFIG /ALL with VPN client and dhcp
- IPCONFIG /ALL without VPN client
- Your LAN address and networks across VPN

Thanks,
Giovanni Coa

 

by: MixmanglePosted on 2009-09-17 at 15:58:56ID: 25361879

Sorry I am afraid I can't do that. However, I can tell you what I see

With VPN Client installed but disabled (it's default state when not active).  I can boot machine, log onto Novell, see 2/3 of login script load and then have script freeze and have the rest error.  When I close I see that the connection is erroring. I continue to load desktop and if I get into Controp panel fast enough and Networking connections I actually see it

Acquiring . . . . . .Connected . . . . . Disconnected . . . . Acquiring

IPCONFIG /ALL shows me 169.xxx.xxx.xxx address with nothing else

I can do a IPCONFIG /RELEASE to get to 00.00.00.00
Then renew and it will not renew with IP from server but renews with the 169. address you always get on a disconnected nic

I can reboot and I see it again.  Login script gets part way thru and then freezes. I know that it has lost the connection at this point. I let it error and get back to local workstation

So, all this happens before I ever get to where I can fire up vpn client.

I can uninstall VPN client, and get the same dropping of connection.  I reinstall  broadcom nic drivers (actually force a reinstall and not just let it find it and install drivers automatically)  and machine will once again accept DHCP and stay connected.   I load the VPN client again and get the same cycle starting all over again.

Have same client on another exact same computer.  But the other computer probably has an older NIC driver and has an A7 BIOS while this one is A11.  There are 50 other computers logging into the same server. No problem.  Ind I know it's not a DHCP lease problem.  It can't be if it all works once VPN is removed.

Thanks


 

by: MixmanglePosted on 2009-09-17 at 16:04:36ID: 25361918

And again, when it's in this trashed state, I can put in valid static information (Ip from outside pool) and valid DNS info and it all works fine.

Other computer referred to above that has older Nic driver and older Bios, it logs on fine, does not get trashed with a DHCP's address. Same VPN client  . . . . .econnecting to the same switch!!.  No need for static IP there. I have swapped cables, I hacve swapped switch ports . . . . I have moved machine to another location. No difference.

 

by: MikeMar10Posted on 2009-09-18 at 08:17:41ID: 25366844

Not sure if this will help, but we had a similar problem and here is what we did:

Under Network Connections, select the "Advanced" tab, and then select "Advanced Settings".
From here you can move the adapters up and down to generate a loading order.
Try moving your NIC to teh top and the VPN Adapter to the bottom.

Hope this helps.

 

by: MixmanglePosted on 2009-09-18 at 09:30:00ID: 25367611

I was aware of this, but I didn't check because I always thought the load order was also indicated by the order they showed up in Network Connections. But  That would be silly. I'll check but I don;t thin that's an issue because it IS connecting initially and then dropping the connection. It then retries and does this several times.  

 

by: tjdabombPosted on 2009-09-21 at 10:37:48ID: 25385389

We use VPN clients from both Cisco and Checkpoint, in both cases, once the VPN software is initialized, all local IP settings are erased and a reboot is necessary in order to have the local machine get back on our LAN.  This is typical behavior for a VPN client, it promotes exclusivity hence security. in your case, though, the issue presents itself if only the VPN software is present and not loaded.

What happens if you try to force a static IP on the box?

 

by: MixmanglePosted on 2009-09-21 at 12:17:58ID: 25386489

When I place a static IP on the machine, everything is right as rain. It's operating now that way.  But I know from experience the moment I go back to DHCP,  release/renew OR reboot, it will go back to it's on/off.  It will connect, start login script, disconnect, reconnect, disconnect . . . .

In our situation a reboot is not normally necessary.  We just disconnect the client.

I want to get this solved,  but I might just wait until I get short on Static IPs and need to clam this one back.  I know I could also try updating the client.  But I have never needed to in the past.  We use whatever the testing service sends us to use. They send us  4.6 pre - configured with their host IP, so that's what I am using .

It's a real head scratchier.


 

by: tjdabombPosted on 2009-09-21 at 14:24:36ID: 25387788

It's a pain, i agree, but as already discussed, not entirely strange given how VPN software basically takes over a machine/IP/NIC.

Have you considered running the VPN software on a VM instead of the core OS?  I haven't tried that, but, it might work.  I suppose that solution may or may not work depending on the need for the connection in the first place.

In my dealings with Checkpoint, their software cannot be changed in order to allow for interoperability between a LAN and remote site.

 

by: Kelly_WPosted on 2009-09-21 at 14:29:51ID: 25387820

Hello,
You might want to look for a patch for the Cisco VPN software.  Some funky VPN software came out when Vista and XP SP3 did and Cisco sent out many patches to fix some very strange issues.
Also, just to make sure, you are running pure IP in your Netware environment and not IP and IPX combined, right?
Thanks,
Kelly Wilke

 

by: MixmanglePosted on 2009-09-21 at 15:50:21ID: 25388388

Ip only. I guess I will try update for VPN client. It's just that it works as expected on other machine with samevonfig ( nic driver may be older).
 
I will just update the
VPN and see what happens. I wanted to stay with the version they supplied with thier scoring package, but iwill give it a shot. I was just sure I was just missing something and I had raspns not to go with newer client. I'll get back in s few days.

 

by: peterlambrechtsenPosted on 2009-10-06 at 18:15:32ID: 25511460

I would try the Cisco VPN Client 5.0.05.0290 which is the latest releast of the IPSec VPN client from Cisco, that has resolved many of my odd quirks I have had in relation to the Novell Client interacting with the Cisco VPN etc.  And I would first un-install the Novell Client & CIsco Client.  Then install the Novell Client first, then the cisco client afterwards.
You need to be registered with Cisco to download files, so hopefully someone in your work has download access.

 

by: MixmanglePosted on 2009-10-21 at 15:25:39ID: 25629151

Since my original post was requesting help without updating the client, and it seems the only thing that would resolve the problem was just that, no one really answered the question to my satisfaction.

But the issue is moot since I eventually did update the client. I was avoinding this because the application that used the vpn was supported by a company that told me the support they offered was only with the client version they sent with the install, since they had never heard of this problem.  Stupid, I know. But I was attemting the resolve the problem with the client provided by them.

But you all tried, and I would like to distribute points evenly.

Thanks


20120131-EE-VQP-002

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