Trouble with SBS VPN for one user

We have a VPN connection setup through SBS into our server for two people to
access it from home. One person's works fine, the other works periodically.
The one that is having trouble is using a Verizon wireless card for internet
access. It connects fine everytime and she can always access her email via
Outlook and the Exchange server. She cannot always access or browse files.
I have a shortcut on the desktop to a certain folder on the network and when
she double-clicks it it opens explorer but shows no files, just a blank
window. When 'hard-wired' and connected at the office everything works fine.
Does anyone know of any problems when using the cellular wireless cards??
The other person that connects via the VPN with no trouble is using her cable
internet connection at home. I'm scratching my head on this one, any advice
would be appreciated.

Thanks

Jim
Thu Sep 18 15:38:32 PDT 2008

Does she have any saved passwords? I have seen issues with saved
passwords but maybe not for your scenario.

On Thu, 18 Sep 2008 11:54:01 -0700, Eric
<Eric@discussions.microsoft.com> wrote:

>We have a VPN connection setup through SBS into our server for two people to
>access it from home. One person's works fine, the other works periodically.
>The one that is having trouble is using a Verizon wireless card for internet
>access. It connects fine everytime and she can always access her email via
>Outlook and the Exchange server. She cannot always access or browse files.
>I have a shortcut on the desktop to a certain folder on the network and when
>she double-clicks it it opens explorer but shows no files, just a blank
>window. When 'hard-wired' and connected at the office everything works fine.
> Does anyone know of any problems when using the cellular wireless cards??
>The other person that connects via the VPN with no trouble is using her cable
>internet connection at home. I'm scratching my head on this one, any advice
>would be appreciated.
>
>Thanks
See what SBS support is working on
http://blogs.technet.com/sbs/default.aspx
Check your SBS with the SBS Best Practices Analyzer
http://blogs.technet.com/sbs/archive/tags/BPA/default.aspx

v-mileli
Fri Sep 19 04:04:49 PDT 2008


Hello Eric,

Thank you for posting here.

According to your description, I understand that:

You have one specific user cannot access the shared folder in the SBS
domain when she connect the VPN connection back to the domain. However, she
can connect the Exchange server properly without any problem.

If I have misunderstood the problem, please don't hesitate to let me know.

Suggestions:
==================
Agree with Jim that you should check the stored passwords on the client. To
do that, you may follow the steps below.

1. Restart the Windows on the client and log on to the computer with that
user account to see whether this problem goes away now. It is possible that
you have accessed the share folder by using administrator account in the
session. After we restart the client computer, we can isolate this kind of
influence.
2. On the Windows client, click start--->Control Panel--->Stored user names
and passwords, and remove all users listed in it. Click OK.

According to the symptom, it seems that the share is identified as offline
when the wireless connection is slow. Please try to disable offline lines
on a slow link by setting the following registry value and reboot the
client to see whether it works.

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\NetCache

Value name: GoOfflineOnSlowLink
Value type: REG_DWORD
Value data: 00000000

Meanwhile, I'd like to know whether you user Configure Slow link speed
group policy to configure a lower threshold. To verify that:

1. On the problematic client computer, please run "GPEDIT.MSC".
2. Browse to "Local Computer Policy\Computer Configuration\Administrative
Templates\Network\Offline Files".
3. Double click the setting of "Configure Slow link speed".
4. Enable this policy and set it to a low value to ensure the client stay
online even in VPN connection.

If the issue persists, please answer the following question for the further
research.

Information needed:
==================

1. What is symptom of the "blank window " when the user tries to access the
shared folder? Do you mean the Explorer hangs there or just display a empty
file list? Could you please take a take a screen shot of the blank window?
2. It is possible that a specific brand wireless card block the SMB (Server
Message Block) traffic. You can check how it works if the user connect to
the router with 'hard-wire' in the remote place? We can isolate this kind
of influence.
3. What is link speed of the wireless card?

Hope this helps. Also, if you have any questions or concerns, please do not
hesitate to let me know.



Best regards,
Miles Li

Microsoft Online Partner Support
Microsoft Global Technical Support Center

Get Secure! - www.microsoft.com/security
=====================================================
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Eric
Fri Sep 19 05:33:00 PDT 2008

Thanks. There are no stored passwords though.

"Jim Behning SBS MVP" wrote:

> Does she have any saved passwords? I have seen issues with saved
> passwords but maybe not for your scenario.
>
> On Thu, 18 Sep 2008 11:54:01 -0700, Eric
> <Eric@discussions.microsoft.com> wrote:
>
> >We have a VPN connection setup through SBS into our server for two people to
> >access it from home. One person's works fine, the other works periodically.
> >The one that is having trouble is using a Verizon wireless card for internet
> >access. It connects fine everytime and she can always access her email via
> >Outlook and the Exchange server. She cannot always access or browse files.
> >I have a shortcut on the desktop to a certain folder on the network and when
> >she double-clicks it it opens explorer but shows no files, just a blank
> >window. When 'hard-wired' and connected at the office everything works fine.
> > Does anyone know of any problems when using the cellular wireless cards??
> >The other person that connects via the VPN with no trouble is using her cable
> >internet connection at home. I'm scratching my head on this one, any advice
> >would be appreciated.
> >
> >Thanks
> See what SBS support is working on
> http://blogs.technet.com/sbs/default.aspx
> Check your SBS with the SBS Best Practices Analyzer
> http://blogs.technet.com/sbs/archive/tags/BPA/default.aspx
>

Eric
Fri Sep 19 05:37:00 PDT 2008

Thanks for all the advice. I know there is no stored passwords. I am going
back out to the clients location next week and will try the registry mod and
Group Policy for the slow link. In the blank window it just shows an empty
list explorer is not hung. I will also try it from another remote location
with a faster internet connection and see what happens.

Thanks


"Miles Li [MSFT]" wrote:

> Hello Eric,
>
> Thank you for posting here.
>
> According to your description, I understand that:
>
> You have one specific user cannot access the shared folder in the SBS
> domain when she connect the VPN connection back to the domain. However, she
> can connect the Exchange server properly without any problem.
>
> If I have misunderstood the problem, please don't hesitate to let me know.
>
> Suggestions:
> ==================
> Agree with Jim that you should check the stored passwords on the client. To
> do that, you may follow the steps below.
>
> 1. Restart the Windows on the client and log on to the computer with that
> user account to see whether this problem goes away now. It is possible that
> you have accessed the share folder by using administrator account in the
> session. After we restart the client computer, we can isolate this kind of
> influence.
> 2. On the Windows client, click start--->Control Panel--->Stored user names
> and passwords, and remove all users listed in it. Click OK.
>
> According to the symptom, it seems that the share is identified as offline
> when the wireless connection is slow. Please try to disable offline lines
> on a slow link by setting the following registry value and reboot the
> client to see whether it works.
>
> HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\NetCache
>
> Value name: GoOfflineOnSlowLink
> Value type: REG_DWORD
> Value data: 00000000
>
> Meanwhile, I'd like to know whether you user Configure Slow link speed
> group policy to configure a lower threshold. To verify that:
>
> 1. On the problematic client computer, please run "GPEDIT.MSC".
> 2. Browse to "Local Computer Policy\Computer Configuration\Administrative
> Templates\Network\Offline Files".
> 3. Double click the setting of "Configure Slow link speed".
> 4. Enable this policy and set it to a low value to ensure the client stay
> online even in VPN connection.
>
> If the issue persists, please answer the following question for the further
> research.
>
> Information needed:
> ==================
>
> 1. What is symptom of the "blank window " when the user tries to access the
> shared folder? Do you mean the Explorer hangs there or just display a empty
> file list? Could you please take a take a screen shot of the blank window?
> 2. It is possible that a specific brand wireless card block the SMB (Server
> Message Block) traffic. You can check how it works if the user connect to
> the router with 'hard-wire' in the remote place? We can isolate this kind
> of influence.
> 3. What is link speed of the wireless card?
>
> Hope this helps. Also, if you have any questions or concerns, please do not
> hesitate to let me know.
>
>
>
> Best regards,
> Miles Li
>
> Microsoft Online Partner Support
> Microsoft Global Technical Support Center
>
> Get Secure! - www.microsoft.com/security
> =====================================================
> When responding to posts, please "Reply to Group" via your newsreader so
> that others may learn and benefit from your issue.
> =====================================================
> This posting is provided "AS IS" with no warranties, and confers no rights.
>
>

v-mileli
Mon Sep 22 03:34:13 PDT 2008

Hello Eric,

Please take your time to have the test. If there is any update on the
issue, please do not hesitate to let us know.

Best regards,
Miles Li

Microsoft Online Partner Support
Microsoft Global Technical Support Center

Get Secure! - www.microsoft.com/security
=====================================================
When responding to posts, please "Reply to Group" via your newsreader so
that others may learn and benefit from your issue.
=====================================================
This posting is provided "AS IS" with no warranties, and confers no rights.