Error connecting to Citrix - Connection Problems 1

[bleachlpb]

Here is a familiar sounding situation:

I have a user in a remote office who uses a published application on our Citrix Metaframe XP server in our office. She connects through the internet - she has the ICA web client installed. This setup has been working perfectly for the last several months.

Today she calls and indicates to me she is not able to connect, she reads me the error:
"Network or dialup problems are preventing communication with the Citrix server..." The dialog indicates 30 seconds until a reconnection attempt (counts down), and the user can push "reconnect" or "cancel".

I then remote onto another computer in the same office (using Dameware RC), and try to connect back in to our Citrix server. Sure enough, I am able to login and authenticate to the nfuse portal web site, and I can see my selection of published apps. However, I receive the same error - it pops up nearly instantaneously. While remoted in, I ping the server and pings are nominal - average between 30 and 100 ms, some up to 150-200 ms.

It doesn't make any sense why out of the blue, computers in that office can no longer connect.

I did a search on the forums here, and tried some of the suggestions when encountering latency - but still I receive the same error. I added the "TcpMaxDataRetransmissions" registry entry, and verified that the ICA settings were all set to no timeout. I set up a sniffer and the particular workstation I was on and the server are able to talk to eachother OK. No problems there. Plus, there are users connected that are connecting from more latent networks - I checked their ICA sessions in Perfmon.

Any suggestions? I think a simple red light bliking somewhere would be more informative than this error. Is there some sort of troubleshooting utility that can be used to specifically troubleshoot ICA connection problems?

Thanks,
Michael Pare

 

[Jontmke]

This usually is because of some licensing issue. Most likely Windows Terminal Service Licenses or TS CAL's. I wish it would tell you that instead of that no good generic message.

Jon

There is much pleasure to be gained from useless knowledge. (Bertrand Russell)

 

[xs4citrix]

Make sure the user has write access on his workstation
to:
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Software\Microsoft\MSLicensing\Store

explanation:

http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;en-us;320493

and:

http://support.citrix.com/kb/entry.jspa?externalID=CTX594905

To force a TS cal to be replaced on the client,
remove this key:
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Software\Microsoft\MSLicensing\Store\LICENSE00x
Then logon again.


Also have a look at

Network or dialup problems are preventing connection to MetaFrame server

http://ctxex10.citrix.com/kb/entry.jspa?externalID=CTX101380

How to Troubleshoot 1003 and 1004 Terminal Server Licensing Errors

http://ctxex10.citrix.com/kb/entry.jspa?externalID=CTX564283

Network or dialup problems are preventing communication with the Citrix server

http://www.jsiinc.com/SUBM/tip6100/rh6191.htm

] JSI FAQ 6191

http://www.printingsupport.com

Free citrixprinting support

 

[NTGoober]

I have seen the same thing here when we were running out of Windows Terminal Server licenses.

One way to check this is to either connect through citrix from another computer (proving that the server is in fact operational) or to connect to port 1494 from the telnet application. Run telnet, then type open zzz 1494 at the telnet prompt where zzz is the name or IP address of the citrix server. If it clears the screen and says ICA and some funny characters, you've connected to the service. (This also proves that the server is in fact operational.)

We got this when we had licensing problems. Citrix uses pooled licenses (up to 10 concurrent, up to 25 concurrent, etc) but using citrix also consumes a Windows Terminal Server license, which is NOT pooled. Once Win TS hands out a license, it is tied to the client and does not get released for use by someone else.

Windows TS will hand out "free" licenses for 90 days, then start to puke. Our fix was to install Windows Terminal Services Licensing and register the appropriate number of licenses.

 

[bleachlpb]

Thank you for everyone's help. I believe I have figured out the problem.

Last May/June I migrated our old AD server onto a new server - and approx. 90 days ago, I downed the old server. Apparently, I omitted the Terminal Services License server that was running on that old server.

Well - since we are all w2k and XPpro, this does not seem to be a problem. From my understanding, the TS Licenses are only needed for clients connecting with 98/Me machines or lower. My affected user yesterday happens to be running 98.

Michael Pare

 

[Rosee]

I am having the problem connecting Citrix server from some of Win xp pro computers. We have Citrix MetaFrame xp on Windows 2000 server. Some of the client xp pro computers work fine and some of the client xp pro computers could not connect to the Citrix server at all and got the error message like this: "Network or dialup problems are preventing communication with the Citrix server..."

Michael, as you have metioned, w2k and xp pro need no TS license. But I can not figure out why those PCs having trouble to connect. Does any one have any ideas? Please help....

 

[bleachlpb]

Try removing the registry key mentioned above:

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Software\Microsoft\MSLicensing\Store\LICENSE00x

then reboot and try it again.

Also, check in the Citrix server's system event log for event id 1004, source TermService. It labels it as type "information" not an "error" or "warning".

 

[kb0ogt]

I just started having this problem with 4 machines at a office in another state. They are all Win 2000 Pro machines so it is not a TS issue.

I Check the Registry entry as mentioned above and deleted the license entry and also changed the STORE key's permissions for the user to FULL CONTROL. These 4 machines still get this error.

Nothing has changed!!! All 4 of these machines have been in opertation for months and have not been upgraded for anything and have not had any issues. This started yesterday with 3 machines and got a call first thing this morning that another started doing the samething.

So far none of the suggestion in this thread solved the problem. I do not understand how this problem can just manisfest its self with no indication on what caused it or how to fix it.

Will be monitoring this thread for any updates and will be digging into Citrix to help with this problem. If I find anything not already mentioned by other in here I will post it.

 

[terrywilson]

As a side note; I have had this as an ongoing issue for our site; we have a sick TS License server (I think) but we need to add more licenses before we take it down and fix it. As a quick fix we have a quick reg file which kills the local machine ts licenses on w9x pc's

REGEDIT4
[-HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Software\Microsoft\MSLicensing]

As a side note; I have discovered that while the 6.3 ICA client tells you network or dialup connections are preventing communications; the ICA client 7 doesn't tell you anything; just brings up connecting, then nothing.

No real help I'm afraid; just what I have discovered through my fiddling.

 

[Jontmke]

Did somebody at the remote location make some changes to the network setup? Like put in a new firewall? Or a router? Something that would be blocking the ports needed by citrix?

Jon

There is much pleasure to be gained from useless knowledge. (Bertrand Russell)

 

[kb0ogt]

Nope. Absoutly no changes to our network have been made, nor to any Citrix server configuations.

here is something interesting we found. If we take one of the machines that can not login. we will take that machine and grab another published app it will work fine. Another thing that happend is that it appears to be specific to some users and not others. We asked two different users to login on a machine that we are having problems with and they were able to get in fine. we then brought in a couple more users and they got the error including Administrator.

I just dont get it. <mad smiley>

 

[Jontmke]

When a person tries to connect, clicks on a link, the computer downloads the ica file then runs it. Sometimes this problem will occur when the users IE cache is hosed, maybe has an old copy of the ica file. If you clear the cache it will then work again. With some users working and some not I think this could be your problem. By the way, what size is the cache set to? We turn ours way down, to about 20MB.
You might have to take the drastic step of deleting the profile on the local pc and recreating it.

Jon

There is much pleasure to be gained from useless knowledge. (Bertrand Russell)

 

[kb0ogt]

Ill give that a try. The admin that is in the office this machine is at is already gone for the evening. Ill let you know tomorrow.

on a side note. one of these machines that started doing this was a NT machine. The admin out there rebuilt it with W2K pro and got the error immediatly after the rebuild.

 

[Jontmke]

&quot;Rebuilt&quot; it? Wiped it and loaded 2K? Or upgraded it? I hardly ever upgrade at work, always start fresh.

Jon

There is much pleasure to be gained from useless knowledge. (Bertrand Russell)

 

[kb0ogt]

yip clean install. The admin out there, deleted all user profiles and still get the error.

 

[ascotta]

I am looking at this link. But I cannot see I may be blind, but even if you are totally WIn2K & XP you still need a functioning & activated TS License server. Is this the case ?.

 

[TheMac28nearly]

I saw a technet yesterday that states even if your using w2k + above, you still need a ts license server. I would guess that it doesnt have to be activated though

take a look

http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;en-us;291807&Product=win2000

 

[kb0ogt]

ok found the soulution.

Im so mad right now i can chew nails. The very first thing (days ago) I did was stop and restart Terminal server License service. Problem was still there.

My boss on a whim did the samething a few min ago and BAMM!! the machines that could not login, can now.


GRRRRRrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr. Im going home....

 

[Chambers]

Just an FYI, I had this problem this morning and had to call Microsoft Clearing House to re-issue my licenses. Turns out our TS Server was holding on to CAL's from 2002 of machines that aren't even around anymore. My question is why the heck couldn't I just go into the License Manager, right click on machines that aren't in use and just delete them so it will free up that license? Why does microsoft have to do this in such a stupid way?? Jeez...

Is 2003 server at least easier with regards to TS licensing?