VPN Issue after Install of MFC-8500 Brother Printer

[BTJSWITZER]

My VPN (Nortel Networks Contivity) was working fine over broadband (road runner) until I installed the MFC-8500 Brother printer.

Since then, I get a connection lost after connection gets "stuck" trying to get banner text.

I did check the # of ethernet adapters and reduced it to the 2 I needed. Also check Internet Sharing and IPSEt and both are disabled.

I contacted Brother and they admitted that the software for the 8500 creates a virtual port that comes into conflict with VPN connectivity. They seem to indicate this is not an issue with Windows XP.

Since I am on Windows 2000 Professional and cannot upgrade
(work laptop), I need to resolve on 2000. Brother walked
me thru un-installing and re-installing all their
drivers/etc to exclude those that created the virtual port.

Although the printer still works, I still cannot use VPN.

I do not user a router and do not have firewall software.

Keep Alives is disabled as well as IPSEC.

I un-installed/re-installed the VPN client and powered
down and re-booted many times.

I can get out to anywhere on the internet, just can't get VPN to work.

My corporate help desk stated they could see I was getting
connected but the response they sent back to my client was
being blocked somehow. I get the message that states
connectign, then getting configuration. I then get a
message stating getting banner text which never finishes
and I then get a connectivity lost error.

Other users on broadband with same client/OS are okay and
all was fine before the BROTHER installation.

I have also tried powering down all components (including
the cable modem) with no success.

Currently the printer is powered off and none of the
Brother processes are started on boot up, but I still
cannot use VPN.

I also checked the device manager and only saw a COM1 port
(no other ports).

I suspect the installation of the brother software changed
a configuration on my laptop that is affecting VPN. UN-
installing did not help this as it is probably a component
used by other software on my laptop.

I then contacted brother again and they stated I shoudl go to Windows 2000 Professional Service Pack 2 (I am on Service Pack 1), they also stated NOT to go to Service Pack 3 as this would cause more issues with their software.

I called back my corporate help desk and asked if they had a valid SP 2 update, which they did not (just had SP3). I do not want to get involved in updating the OS unless I know there is some documented bug that is fixed related to the problems I am seeing.

Can anyone help?

 

[John Lewis]

Enable IPsec and try again.

I haven't used a Nortel VPN, but I remeber seeing somewhere that their 'SRT' uses IPsec.

Failing that, immediatly after you attempt and fail to connect, go to Start --> Settings --> Control Panel --> Administative Tools --> Event Viewer. Report back anything that is timestamped for the time period during which you were trying to connect.

 

[BTJSWITZER]

I did check the Event Viewer at time of failure, I got

"Server could not bind to the transport \Device\NetBT_T cpip_ {504A2777-8071-4A59-807B-2F3E3D260F8A}"

THis was the only event that occured at failure.

I checked the internet on this one and one suggestion was to make sure file sharing was on for the ethernet device.

I checked this and it was on.

I then removed the Brother Extensions for Paperport (just guessing now) and re-booted, still have same failure.

 

[BTJSWITZER]

I did try turing IPSEC on (my corporate help desk stated it should be off) and tried connecting again and received same failure. That was early in the troubleshooting process, maybe I will try it again. I will try again and post waht I find.

 

[BTJSWITZER]

Ok. I thought I had tried disabling IPEC before, but I guess I did not (what heppens after hours of debugging!). Anyway, when I tried turning off on Local Area Network,I was forced to select another method (radio buttons on 2000), that then threw an error and did not allow the change.

I also tried turning off the IPSEC service. THis worked, but then the VPN client threw an error stating that IPSEC could NOT be on and that I had to disabled and reboot to get VPN to work.

I also contacted the corporate help desk and walked thru all the settings on the Local Area Network. There were some minor differences. Just for laughs I changed what was different and re-booted.

Even after this I am still getting the "Checking for Banner Text" message when connecting with VPN and the same failure.

 

[BTJSWITZER]

I also tried un-installing VPN again and installing a newer version, with no success. The Brother software also came with paperport, so I un-installed that re-booted and tried VPN again, with no luck.

I am now wiping out all the brother drivers and will re-boot one more time and try again.

Also, sent an email to brother will all the information in this post, doubt I will get any helpful response, but hey, you never know.

Also, ran netstat -a with help from a security admin at my corporation and he stated there was nothing out of the ordinary showing up.

 

[BTJSWITZER]

Here is an update:

After un-installing all brother components I then:

1) Still had the error with VPN
2) Un-installed VPN again and re-installed
- Still have error
3) Un-installed VPn and instaleld a newer version
- Still have error
4) Installed brother software again but this time used drivers downloaded from website instead of from CD suppiled with printer
- Still have error
5) Installed Windows 2000 SP2
- Still have error
6)Un-installed and re-installed VPN (new version)
- Still have error
7) un-installed and re-installed VPN (old version)
- Still have error
8) un-instaled and re-installed VPN (new version again)
-Still have error

Only other thing I noticied is that sometimes on shutdown, I get a program not responding, program name "Socket Notification Sink". I have never seen this before the problems with started. Not suer that this program is or if it is related to the issue.

 

[John Lewis]

Before you read this, understand that it is just a wild stab in the dark based upon what I have read throughout this thread and the other one regarding banner text. I don't know if it will work, and in fact, it could cause some real problems. If I had the machine here in front of me, I would try it, but use some judgement on your part before you do it.

OK -- let's slow down a bit. First of all, the printer is the prime suspect here. I don't think there is any doubt about that. It looks to me like Brother has been pretty sloppy here. From what I can tell, the MFC in question has a parallel interface. Why do they have any business messing with your network settings for a parallel port!?! OK, sorry, will rant somewhere else. Point is you need to get rid of the printer completely, at least until you get your connection fixed.

The hard part here is guessing just what the Brother software has done. Could be it replaced some system components, could be that some of the new components that were added haven't learned to get along well with others, or they could have changed some registry keys.

I see a few things going back over this thread, including some errors that you have reported since my last post. First thing, I don't think you are getting to the point that I would call connected. The banner text takes place before the actual tcp/ip connection, somewhere in the authorization stage. You are connected in that your machine has established a link to the VPN server, but you have not been authorized and protocols have not been agreed upon. The other thread that you brought to the top made me realize this, and also pointed out another possible problem. You have been trying to log in many times without success, something that could trigger either your account to be locked or, as in the case mentioned there, your ip to be dropped. Your corp help desk should be able to answer this (maybe).

Anyway, I think you need to completely eliminate that printer, at least until you get your VPN connection live again. If you don't have the Brother software/drivers installed right now, install them. After the drivers are installed, restart your computer in safe mode, no networking. Uninstall from there. Do start --> Control Panel --> Add/Remove programs first, then remove the printer from the printers folder, if the uninstall doesn't take care of that. While your there, uninstall any VPN software that you have installed as well. Open network and dial-up connections. Go through and write down all of the settings for any that you need (make sure that you hit the 'advanced' buttons in case there is something there), then delete all of the dial-up connections. Open the Local Area Connection, click on protocols, then tcp/ip. Again, note all of the properties, including advanced. Click the remove button. It is necessary to do this from safe mode because some of the components might be in use otherwise, and not be removable. If at any time you see a question about 'shared components', go ahead and get rid of them. You will be prompted to put them back later, if you need them. (You have your W2K CD, right?)

Reboot to normal mode and reinstall tcp/ip on your LAN connection. Reboot again, and make sure your LAN works -- you should also be able to browse the internet if all is well. Don't do too much!

Reboot and install your VPN client. With any luck at all, it should work at this point, or at least throw a different error.

If it does work, I would reboot and reinstall W2K SP2. From what I can tell, SP2 is generally a good thing. There are some security patches since then. I would at least grab those if you don't want to install a full SP3.

Will this work? Haven't the first clue. Could be a giant waste of time, but it's the best I can do from here. The idea is to get rid of anything that the Brother installation did. The uninstall/reinstall of the networking should reset any registry keys that they messed with. I don't really like the approach, but it looks like you have been through a lot, so desparate measures might be in order. Again, proceed at your own risk! (Comforting, isn't it)

If you get your VPN working again and really must install the printer, make a copy of the registry first. I really think that is where the problem is, and it should make a recovery easier.

 

[BTJSWITZER]

OK. here is the latest on this issue.

I again un-installed everything, then removed all files manually. THen I removed all registry entries manually. I booted to safe and removed any remaining registry entries.
(Included VPN and brother stuff).

I then re-booted and re-installed VPN.

Still have issue.

Checked internet connection sharing and IPSEC one more time. Both are disabled (IPSEC required to be disabled for my corporate VPN connection).

Have now had to re-image my laptop. Desktop support at my company has given me a second laptop to "test" with. I will use this "test" laptop to install the brother software from the web (not from the CD) as this seemed to work for a co-worker.

If this works (meaning does not destrot my VPN) I will use same installation method to install on my main PC. This would then mean something on the CD sent with the printer was causing the issue.

Sent email to brother with all details, they responded that the engineering team in Japan was working on the issue (no ETR). Also called brother again and they stated a level 5 tech would call me back and that a similiar issue had come up with Verizon's VPN client.

Brother then just contactewd me this morning and asked that I FAX the details of the issue to them.

I will do this today and see what happens.

 

[BTJSWITZER]

Oops , one more thing. After installing SP2 I also installed their debugging tools. I then attached the debugger to the extranet process that is failing to see
the trace. I did see that I got a message stating that
BannerSOck: Could not connect to socket (or something like that). Not sure if this helps or not.

 

[BTJSWITZER]

Brother came up with a registry fix that resolved the issue.

After the brother software is installed you have to apply this patch.

Currently patch not available on Brother web site.

REGEDIT4

[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Services\BrSerial]
"DependOnService"=hex(7):
"DependOnGroup"=hex(7):

 

[sickingm]

I just bought a MFC3100 and have exactly the same symptoms on my Contivity connection. However, the patch you included has stymied me a bit. The current registry values for those two keys are text data, "Extended Base" and "serial" respectively.

Am I just supposed to change each byte to hex(7), or just the first or last, or what?

 

[BTJSWITZER]

I just ran the patch file (.reg) they sent me.

If you want, send me an email:

barbara.switzer@globalcrossing.com

I will attach the file and send it back to you.

Thanks.

 

[sickingm]

Thanks, Barbara. No need, though. I just got a response from Brother and receive the patch.

Don't understand why they don;t post it on their website though.

 

[jowens]

You can now download the registry patch from:

http://solutions.brother.com/Library/faq/printer/prfaq0785/prfaq0785.html

 

[adambomb9575]

I just installed the MFC4800 printer drivers on my WIN2K server sp3 machine, and the printer works great. Problem is the Nortel Client I use to get into work is doing the same thing. I get the banner text error. To make sure it was not a NAT-T error, I removed my Netgear MR314 completely. My WIN2K machine is plugged directly into my cable modem and I get the same error. So it must be the Brother drivers. I e-mailed Brother but have yet to hear back from them.

Has anyone else seen this problem with a WIN2K server sp3 with a USB connection to the printer? Will the reg. patch still work with the USB connection vs. serial? Has anyone seen issues with WIN2K sp3?

Thanks

 

[BTJSWITZER]

Your registry entry for the VPN Contivity Client is corrupt. Download the registry patch, it fixes it every time. Before Brother had it out on their website I was providing the patch to many people and it resolved the issue in every case.