XCON: During DRAS Call, Server Unavailable on the Local Network (191397)


The information in this article applies to:

  • Microsoft Exchange Server 5.0
  • Microsoft Exchange Server 5.5
This article was previously published under Q191397

SYMPTOMS

During a Dynamic RAS call to another Exchange Server site, you may receive the following message:
The local Exchange Server is unavailable on the local network.
Furthermore, you will not be able to ping or connect to the other site in anyway.

CAUSE

During a DRAS connection, the property to "Use default gateway on remote network" has been set. As a result, when Exchange Server needs to communicate to any computer across a gateway (router), it will assume that the gateway over the dial-up network (DUN) connection is the correct one. Local network computers are actually able to send packets over the local router to the Exchange Server computer, but the Exchange Server computer is replying to the wrong router (over the DUN connection), and thus to the wrong network. Communication is never established between the Exchange Server computer and local computers physically located across the router.

WORKAROUND

Check the Dial-Up Entry by performing the following steps:

  1. From the Start menu, select Programs, Accessories, and click Dial-Up Networking. Select the Phone Book Entry that the Dynamic RAS Connector is using, and click More for a list of options.
  2. Select the Edit Entry and Modem Properties option.
  3. Select the Server tab.

    1. Under Network Protocols, click TCP/IP Settings and click the Settings button.
    2. Clear the Use Default Gateway on Remote Network check box.
NOTE: This workaround may cause other problems, depending on how the TCP/IP network is configured for DUN networking. See the More Information section for more details.

MORE INFORMATION

While a dial-up connection is on line, the local dial-up server will no longer be able to communicate with any resources that are across the default gateway on the remote network. This is due to the fact that all the packets will be directed to the default local router and not the remote gateway (router). This may cause another problem with DUN. See the "Dynamic RAS Connector White Paper" for more details.
Modification Type:MinorLast Reviewed:4/28/2005
Keywords:kbprb KB191397
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