A rather odd Outlook issue. 1

[CommonOddity]

Not sure if anyone else has come across this. I tried searching the forums, and googled around a fair bit to no avail.

My situation: I currently am employed at a relatively large company (130 or so people) as an IT guy (co-op term). We use Microsoft Exchange 2003, and people use Outlook 2007 for the most part, but a few do use 2003.

The issue: The company uses group policies, credentials and all that fun stuff on a domain for the sake of (somewhat) easy manipulation and remote configuration changes. This includes Outlook, usernames, passwords, etc the whole nine yards.

Most of the company laptops are dell, with docking stations at the cubicles (Latitude D-series, ranging from 600's to 630's primarily). Whenever a user undocks their computer and switches between a hardwired internet connection and their wifi - while Outlook is open and connected - Outlook tries to reconnect and asks for the username and password.

Even once it has been entered, it does not connect, and remains disconnected. Whence reconnected onto a docking station or with an RJ-45 the issue remains the same and remains that way for about 15-20 minutes.

I've been trying to look this up but I haven't come across an issue like this. Being a telecommunications student I've attempted to try and understand this from both the Application layer and the Transport layer... Mayhaps the user account 'ghosts' much like IRC ping timeouts would do to folks connected to the server. I first thought this may have been an issue.

Then I thought that the issue was with TCP and that the pseudo-synchronization with Exchange dropped, and wasn't able to re-establish another session.

If anyone could shed some light on this or even point me in the right direction, it would be most greatly appreciated!

Thank you.

 

[robmazco]

Are both nic and wireless connections active at same time?
I know the D620/630s, when you undock you should get the message that the internal NIC has been deactivated to conserve power. The connectivity should be seamless from wired to wireless.
I would check the power settings and make sure BIOS's are up to date. Also, with outlook open, right click on the outlook icon near clock. Check the Show network Changes, maybe this will give you a clue.

 

[CommonOddity]

I doubt the nic and wireless connections are active at the same time, since the laptop undocks before the wireless kicks in. This is a recurring issue for several of our employees here, though I may have overlooked something and it could have been turned on earlier.

The wired generally drops, and the wifi picks up between hardware profiles (plus the DELL Internal NIC settings are set for turning the device off while running on the battery).

I'm not sure if the BIOS has been updated- but generally outlook is open while this transition from wired to wifi happens. You say it should be seamless (I thought so as well) but there's something happening that I am not sure of.

I'll take your advice and I'll check 'Show network Changes'. Hopefully there's a nugget of information in there pertaining to what is happening.

Cheers

 

[jdemmi]

I know it doesn't answer your question about why it happens, but why not just enable CACHED MODE in Outlook?

You described my environment to the T and no one experiences this issue, but we all have cached mode enabled.

-- Jason
"It's Just Ones and Zeros

 

[CommonOddity]

It is enabled. Not quite sure what is happening with this- the problem does seem to be unique. I'm trying to think if it might be an issue with Outlook itself, DNS server or what... I'm really running out of ideas . Though I haven't had the chance to take a look at the 'Show network changes' log as Robmazco suggested.

 

[robmazco]

Interesting thought on the Cached mode. Ideally user would always have the current emails at the ready, but what about getting new ones? Still no connectivity.

Maybe blow away the user email profile and recreate new one.
And also, enable hard wire and wifi so both are on at same time. This may prevent the disconnect.

 

[CommonOddity]

Tried that before with the email profile and recreating it. It is a quick fix for long-term issues or corrupt profiles, I do agree. However in this case, there's something odd about it.

And generally users keep their wifi off while docked, and only have it enabled the moment they undock.

I'll try both your suggestions however, just to cover all bases. Never recreated the profile to attempt to fix this problem. The sad thing about the way things are run at my company is they want the great wall of china built yesterday. Twice. With documentation.

Thank you for all your responses and help so far It really is appreciated.

 

[CommonOddity]

Ahh... And I just realized I forgot to mention that this is on a domain (a shared domain for all the employees here). Sorry, I thought I had added that in my original post.

 

[jdemmi]

Ours in on a domain too. Users are docked, Outlook open and in cached mode (causes VERY minor delay in receiving email).

User sends/receives all day long in docked/cached mode.

User prepares for undock -- does so via Windows menu or Dell tool.

Wireless enable -- begins search for network

User PHYSICALLY undocks laptop.

Outlook may or may not warn that it has lost connectin with the server (depending on whether or not the wireless connection is established before it attempts to access the server again)

Wireless connection established.

Outlook send/receive capability restored.

QUESTIONS FOR YOU...

Is the converse true? If the user starts connected to wifi and can send/receive email -- what happens when the user DOCKS the laptop?

Your wireless network -- is it using intgreated security PEAP/CHAP to authenticate? (see the CONFIGIURE button unser SELECT AUTHENTICATION METHOD and check for -- "AUTOMATICALLY USE MY WINDOWS PASSWORD AND LOGON NAME AND PASSWORD (and DOMAIN if any)"

-- Jason
"It's Just Ones and Zeros

 

[CommonOddity]

I can't quite recall how it is configured, to a tee... But I believe that we're using PEAP/MSCHAP v2 like you mentioned. And yes, Automatically use my windows password logon... etc, is selected.

This is a general configuration that is pushed out to all the employees via group policy.

Generally when a person within the company is on wifi, then docks, there is no issue.

The only time I've ever seen an issue is when they are docked, and undock (using the undock computer button from the start button, then physically)- then have the wifi automatically connect accordingly to the hardware profile.

That is when Outlook shows its status as 'Disconnected', and asks for username/password to connect to the domain. It just doesn't make any bloody sense.

 

[jdemmi]

And just to clarify....if they close Outlook, undock, establish a wifi connection and THEN open Outlook all is OK?

Can you check the timeout setting under TOOLD -- ACCOUNT SETTINGS -- CHOOSE PROFILE -- CHANGE -- MORE SETTINGS -- GENERAL TAB

-- Jason
"It's Just Ones and Zeros

 

[CommonOddity]

That is what I have suggested to do, so far- as a quick fix anyhow. I thought that logically it would make sense to close outlook, connect to the wifi after undocking THEN to open it and it should work fine. There's not interruption this way.

The timeout is currently set to 30 seconds.

 

[jdemmi]

Ok....and what about under the security tab? (same area)

My settings are:

Encrypt Data between Outlook and Exchange is selected

Always prompt for logon credentials is NOT selected

Logon network security is = NEGOTIATE AUTHENTICATION

-- Jason
"It's Just Ones and Zeros

 

[CommonOddity]

Same here. Exact same settings. This is really starting to sound as if our network is just haunted (silly notion, ofcourse).

Sigh. Thank you so much for your help so far though. It really is tremendously appreciated. We've had this problem plague us for some time now.

 

[jdemmi]

NUTS....I fully expected that there would have been a difference there. I am perplexd but really want to find out the solution here in case it ever haunts me as well.

Are the wifi and wired networks on the same subnet? (Are the IP addresses the same down to the last 3 (192.168.1.xxx))?

Can you try or have you tried manually connected the wifif connection before undocking so that there is ZERO "down time"?

-- Jason
"It's Just Ones and Zeros

 

[CommonOddity]

You know, I've been wondering if it was a subnet issue as well.... But I don't really know how to approach this since I don't know how this all reacts on the application layer.

We've a 255.255.254.0 subnet mask- which if my telecomm senses don't fool me much, suggest that it's a \23 subnet configuration.

192.168.128.0 and 192.168.129.255 are our ranges, it would seem, with a handful of dedicated ip addresses assigned to our servers (dns, exchange, etc).

From what my supervisor told me, this setup is vlan'd, and I -believe- (but haven't checked yet!) that they're using dot1q encapsulation for trunking between them... I thought maybe there was an issue with the setup as well- but I could be wrong.

Sigh. Really messy stuff, no?

And no, I haven't tried connecting to the wifi before undocking- though I believed that this would not make a difference since if I recall correctly, the transport session would pseudo-sync accordingly to a first-come, first-serve approach.

So if the hardwired connection was up, it would syn/syn_ack through that, and damned be the rest that come along the way... That is UNTIL it is dropped, and another connection is made available.

This last bit I've extruded through logical conjecture- so I could be wrong. I've noticed this with a lot of other applications such as MSN. Being connected to the wifi, and then docking... The session doesn't hop over to the hardwired and remains on the Wifi even both are connected- until the Wifi is shut off.

Yar

 

[jdemmi]

I too am at a lost as to how to resolve the issue if it is indeed a subnet issue. I can tell you that when I am docked and then then undock and hop on my corp wifi my IP address changes but I am still in the same subnet.

My thinking on firing up the wifi and connected before undocking was a test to reduce the amount of time Outlook is without any network connection.

I've not given up....

-- Jason
"It's Just Ones and Zeros

 

[CommonOddity]

I tried firing up the wifi like you suggested this time, the issue just came about today on one of our manager's laptops

It was not a happy moment. But, the issue kicked in just the same and relentlessly. I'm going to have to take a peak at his laptop later. This issue is really bothering the crap out of me.

I've been looking into the subnet issue, and it's like I suspected, a 512 host (well... Technically 510, whoops) net, \23. It's a class C network, so it's one of the good ol' unorthodox networks.

If this is the case, what I don't bloody well understand is what the VLAN is for (and according to what my supervisor tells me, there is one present).

I'm trying to think if there's a lockout with Outlook if you disconnect momentarily and try to connect through wifi by a different IP. There shouldn't be, honestly. Maybe it's a Microsoft Exchange issue?

 

[robmazco]

wow now we are getting messy indeed.
Strange scenario - what if you need the entry in the hosts file, sounds crazy but I had some users with outlook troubles (not really the same, but very puzzling).
I added the ip address and FQDN of the email server in the hosts file and their troubles were "magically" gone.
Its quick and easy to try, give it a go.

 

[CommonOddity]

Thank you robmazco, I'll give that a try. Hopefully this will make a difference (Yar!).