WinNT Error Message: TCP/IP CP Reported Error 1214 (176967)

SYMPTOMS

When you attempt to connect to a Windows NT Remote Access Service (RAS) Server from a Windows 95 Dial-Up Networking (DUN) Client or from a Windows NT version 4.0 RAS Client, you may receive the following error message:

TCP/IP CP reported error 1214: The format of the specified network name is invalid.

NOTE: Other clients may or may not exhibit the same problems and may connect without error.

CAUSE

The preceding error may be caused by one or more of the following:

The Autodial feature of DUN may have conflicting entries for the resource you are attempting to connect to. -or-
The DUN Client with which you are attempting to connect is using a statically defined IP address that is either illegal, or already in use on the Local Area Network (LAN). -or-
The RAS Server has corrupt IP Address cache information. -or-
The DUN or RAS components on the client may be corrupt.

RESOLUTION

To resolve this issue, use one of the following options:

The Autodial feature of DUN may need to be disabled.

For more information, see the following article in the Microsoft Knowledge base:
152220 How to View and Remove Information from AutoDial
-or-
Reconfigure the phonebook entry on the RAS Client to use a server- assigned IP Address instead of a statically defined address. -or-
Force the RAS Server to reset its IP address cache, using the following article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:
124358 RAS Server Assigns Cached IP Addresses to RAS Clients
-or-
Remove and reinstall DUN or RAS on the client from which you are dialing.

STATUS

Microsoft has confirmed this to be a problem in Windows NT version 3.5, 3.51 and 4.0. We are researching this problem and will post new information here in the Microsoft Knowledge Base as it becomes available.