Problem connecting remotely to Exchange 2

[Blobtech]

Hi,

I have a strange problem. We have Exchange Server 2003 in Italy. We are connected from the UK through VPN over the internet.

In the UK, I have a wireless laptop running XP SP2 with Outlook2000 and I can connect OK to the server no problems using wireless and wired. If I try from a PC in the same office, Outlook just hangs after asking for the user/domain/password. I have tried 4 PCs with no success. I have also tried 2 other laptops the same make/model as mine and they work perfectly! I have re-installed XP and Office from 3 different sources on the original PC and still no joy.

Has anybody experienced anything like this?

Blobtech.

 

[athelu]

running XP home on the computer in the office?

 

[Blobtech]

Nope, it's definately XP Pro. I've also tried it without SP2 and with SP2 and it still won't work on any PCs. I have tried it on another HP Compaq nx9105 (the same as the other 3 laptops I've tried) and it works perfectly!!

 

[MoobyCow]

This could be an issue with the MTU setting on the network cards.

Try this:
Example. Your Exchange or Terminal server is 192.168.10.5

C:\ping 192.168.10.5 -f -l 1500

Pinging 192.168.10.5 with 1500 bytes of data:

Packet needs to be fragmented but DF set.
Packet needs to be fragmented but DF set.
Packet needs to be fragmented but DF set.
Packet needs to be fragmented but DF set.

Ping statistics for 192.168.10.5:
Packets: Sent = 4, Received = 0, Lost = 4 (100% loss),
Approximate round trip times in milli-seconds:
Minimum = 0ms, Maximum = 0ms, Average = 0ms

This means the packet is fragmenting and is rejected since the –f (do not fragment is set) as most PC’s are set to 1500 MTU by default.

Reduce the size in the ping command until you get good reply pings.

Once you find the number, around 1300 for my VPN/Exchange setup you can change the setting on the PC card using this tool:

http://www.dslreports.com/drtcp

Because laptops are used over WANS a lot the MTU setting is normally lower than the default on PC cards.

 

[Blobtech]

Thanks Mooby, it works perfectly now. I shall now honour you as a false god!