TCP/IP Connection Disconnected After Inactive Period (167833)


The information in this article applies to:

  • Microsoft Windows 95
  • Microsoft Windows 95 OEM Service Release 1
  • Microsoft Windows 95 OEM Service Release 2
  • Microsoft Windows 95 OEM Service Release 2.1
This article was previously published under Q167833
IMPORTANT: This article contains information about editing the registry. Before you edit the registry, you should first make a backup copy of the registry files (System.dat and User.dat). Both are hidden files in the Windows folder.

SYMPTOMS

After a long period of inactivity, you may receive a message that the TCP/IP connection to the server has been disconnected.

CAUSE

This behavior can occur when the session has been inactive for a long period of time and the KeepAliveTime time setting has expired.

RESOLUTION

WARNING: Using Registry Editor incorrectly can cause serious problems that may require you to reinstall Windows 95. Microsoft cannot guarantee that problems resulting from the incorrect use of Registry Editor can be solved. Use Registry Editor at your own risk.

NOTE: For information about how to edit the registry, view the Changing Keys And Values online Help topic in Registry Editor (Regedit.exe). Note that you should make a backup copy of the registry files (System.dat and User.dat) before you edit the registry.

To resolve this issue, add a key to the registry to increase the default value of the KeepAliveTime setting.

The entry described in this article does not normally exist in the Windows 95 registry, and must be added to the following registry key: 
   Hkey_Local_Machine\System\CurrentControlSet\Services\VxD\MSTCP
      KeepAliveTime = <32-bit number>
This entry is a Dword value that specifies the connection idle time in milliseconds before TCP begins sending keepalive packets, if keepalive packets are enabled on a connection. The default is 2 hours (7,200,000).

MORE INFORMATION

Windows 95 does not send keepalive packets after the KeepAliveTime value expires. Increasing the KeepAliveTime value keeps the connection open for a longer period of time.

For additional information about TCP/IP registry entries, see the following article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:

158474 Windows TCP/IP Registry Entries

For additional information about how to back up the registry, see the following article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:

139437 Windows 95 Emergency Recovery Utility

Modification Type:MajorLast Reviewed:7/28/2001
Keywords:kb3rdPartyNetClient kbenv kbnetwork KB167833
©2002 Microsoft Corporation. All rights reserved.