Topic: Strange problem with SME 5.5 and 5.6

[Daniel]

First many thanks to Mitel for developing this great software and many thanks to this forum for the cool customizing ideas, too.

Now my current configuration:
Server hardware: EPIA 5000 with 256 MB RAM, second network card is a Realtek
Three clients: one with Win XP, two with Win ME
5-port D-Link Switch, ADSL connection with 1&1 (German provider)
First install was the SME V5.6 with update 2, now I'm running a fresh install of V5.5 with all updates. The server is acting as domain controller.

My strange problem exists with both versions of SME:
When I'm browsing the web from the Win ME clients, the "internet" connection to the server is lost. I can only browse the last website (for example: windowsupdate.com), but new dns resolution fails. Pinging the server fails from this moment with the error (freely translated from German): "The indicated goal is invalid." Pinging the client from the server fails with connection timeout. But network drives and network printers still works. I can only reboot the client and then internet works for some minutes.
The Win XP client has the same problem sometimes, but there it helps to deactivate the network connection and activate it again. Then all works for some hours/days without problems.
All settings on the clients are automatic, WINS dns is deactivated.

On the Win ME clients I have now my own workaround: I added the dns servers of my provider. The ping error come at the same point, but I can browse the web without problems.

So, I think it's a dns problem of the SME. Has anyone any idea how to resolve this strange problem? Thanks for any hints.

Daniel

[jeroen]

Did you check the log files yet?

jeroen

[del]

I had a simular problem with XP, I don't know about the ME machines but what I did was go to: control panel, choose "network and internet connections" under the heading "or pick a Control Panel icon" choose "network connections" you will then see an icon for your local area connection, right click it and choose properties, then highlight "internet protocol (TCP/IP)" choose properties and click on "use the following DNS server addresses" and enter the ip address of your SME 5.5 box as the "Prefered DNS server" click OK and close all the control panel windows. This cured my XP box, maybe you can do the same in ME although I don't know  how to.
Hope this helps.
Del

[Daniel]

Thank you for your answers!

@jeroen: Yes, I checked the log files, but there were no unusual messages in it.

@del: I set the dns server manually in Win ME, but it does not help. It only works with additional added dns servers of my provider.

Do you have any further ideas?

Daniel

[John Gibbs]

Seems this problem isn't just with Windows; I have a MacOS X machine and a Linux machine, all exhibiting the same issues... but the strange part is, some sites resolve, others don't. Hotmail, MSN and any Akamai mirrors never work.

Ahhhh!!!

[Daniel]

Yes, that's it

Most sites works, for example: www.google.com
Some sites fails, for example: www.heise.de or windowsupdate.com

The mystery is that my Win XP isn't involved in this behavior. On the Win ME clients I can reproduce the error every time.

But if you have the same problem with MacOS and Linux then it's a SME error? How do you resolved the problem? With entering the provider DNS servers on the clients, too?

And we can't be alone...

[John Gibbs]

Daniel,

Here's the result of using nslookup on the SME box.. notice how www.tasis.com resolves OK, but hotmail doesn't..

> www.tasis.com
Server:         127.0.0.1
Address:        127.0.0.1#53

Non-authoritative answer:
Name:   www.tasis.com
Address: 194.6.108.5
> www.hotmail.com
Server:         127.0.0.1
Address:        127.0.0.1#53

Non-authoritative answer:
www.hotmail.com canonical name = www.hotmail.com.

I don't know if this means anything to you, but it seems odd to me!

--John

[John Gibbs]

Daniel,

Another thing is weird.. the 2 sites you mention work fine for me, and I bet hotmail works fine for you...

--John

[Daniel]

Hmm, it seems that we have different problems, because my SME server can resolve any domains. Only the clients can't, because the connection to the server isn't working correct. I type www.heise.de, press enter and the website is shown, but any ping to the server fails with an error message from this moment.

Here are two nslookups':
> www.hotmail.com
Server:         127.0.0.1
Address:        127.0.0.1#53

Non-authoritative answer:
Name:   www.hotmail.com
Address: 64.4.53.7
Name:   www.hotmail.com
Address: 64.4.43.7
Name:   www.hotmail.com
Address: 64.4.44.7
Name:   www.hotmail.com
Address: 64.4.52.7
> www.heise.de
Server:         127.0.0.1
Address:        127.0.0.1#53

Non-authoritative answer:
Name:   www.heise.de
Address: 193.99.144.71
>

Both are resolved correctly. But why www.hotmail.com doesn't work on your server: I don't know. It's very strange, too.

[John Gibbs]

Indeed... well, if you find any solutions, email me at john.gibbs27@ntlworld.com. I'm going to stay up all night to see what I can find.

BTW if I specify my ISP's DNS servers manually, everything works, but then I don't have any DNS on my local network.

viel Glueck,
--John

[Daniel]

Thanks for your German wishes

I'm going to look after any solution, too. If I find something I will mail you. If you have any further ideas, my e-mail address is db@buecke.de.

I hope it will help you: On the clients I set the SME server IP as first DNS server and both IP's of my provider as second and third DNS server. Therefore the clients use the local network DNS as long as available and switch only to the DNS of my provider if the local network fails.

Viel Glück, too
Daniel

[Nuke]

This is interesting.  I too am having problems with my SME 5.6 losing it's internet connection.  I'm not sure if it is related.

Could the reason that some sites are working be that they are still in the browser cache??

I have found on the new install of both 5.5 and 5.6 that I lose the connection from the SME to the internet.  The internal network is fine.  Since I just did the 5.6 clean install, I don't know if it will "fix itself" like the 5.5.

With the v5.5 clean install, for about 2 weeks I had to reboot 1 - 2 times per day.  Then for no apparent reason, everything worked great again.  I have checked the internet connection etc. and everything looks fine.  The SME just loses its connection intermittently to the internet.

Does this sound similar to your issue?  I am quite frustrated right now.  Almost makes me want to ignore doing upgrades.

Nuke

[Daniel]

I think your problem is not related with mine, because the server itself is running without problems and there is no need to restart it. The internet connection itself is running stable, too.

Do you tried another provider yet? It could be an ISP error if it appears unregulary. What does your message logfile said if the connection brokes?

[Nuke]

Daniel, you may be right. Unfortunately, I am with the only high speed provider in the area.  It sucks when there isn't competition.

However, if the ISP is the problem, then I don't understand why these problems only happen when I have done a clean install and upgrade to the sme.  That is weird.

I don't understand the messages.  I am still learning.  But, I am finding many of these messages:
"main kernel: eth0: (45647) System Error occured (0)"

It looks like the problems begins and then the log indicates:

Mar 15 11:55:32 main dhcpcd[1021]: sending DHCP_REQUEST for 24.141.xxx.xxx to 24.226.xxx.xxx
Mar 15 11:55:32 main dhcpcd[1021]: DHCP_ACK received from  (24.226.xxx.xxx)
Mar 15 12:25:32 main dhcpcd[1021]: sending DHCP_REQUEST for 24.141.xxx.xxx to 24.226.xxx.xxx
Mar 15 12:25:32 main dhcpcd[1021]: DHCP_ACK received from  (24.226.xxx.xxx)
Mar 15 12:40:24 main kernel: eth0: (29632) System Error occured (0)
Mar 15 12:40:59 main kernel: eth0: (34559) System Error occured (0)
Mar 15 12:41:09 main kernel: eth0: (40413) System Error occured (0)
Mar 15 12:41:19 main kernel: eth0: (42124) System Error occured (0)

Not sure what this means, but I will now keep visiting the logs.  Does this tell you something?

Thanks for your help.
Nuke

[Paul]

Is eth0 your internal nic (default setup) or have you got them switched in the configuration so that eth1 is your interanl?

What brand and model is the ADSL?

Is your ADSL set as a bridge or a router with nat inabled (hardware firewall)?

Do you have a static or dynamic IP address from your ISP?

Have you switched your nic cards around?

Are you using the right kind of connection for your ISP (DHCP, PPPoE, Static)?  (This may be where your problem is if you are behind a firewall.)

If you are behind a hardware firewall (your ADSL "modem" may act as a firewall), then you will need to change you settings accordingly.

Answer these questions and I might have a couple more.

Best wishes,
Paul