Error Message 738: The Server Did Not Assign an Address (256213)


The information in this article applies to:

  • Microsoft Windows 2000 Professional
This article was previously published under Q256213
IMPORTANT: This article contains information about modifying the registry. Before you modify the registry, make sure to back it up and make sure that you understand how to restore the registry if a problem occurs. For information about how to back up, restore, and edit the registry, click the following article number to view the article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:

256986 Description of the Microsoft Windows Registry

SYMPTOMS

When you use a dial-up connection to connect to your Internet service provider (ISP), you may receive the following error message:
Check networking protocol connections...

TCP/IP CP reported CP Error 738: The server did not assign an address.

CAUSE

This behavior can occur if the Negotiate multi-link for single link connection option is enabled for the dial-up connection. This issue occurs because the client and server configurations are not compatible.

RESOLUTION

To resolve this issue:
  1. Click Start, point to Settings, and then click Network and Dial-up Connections.
  2. Right-click the connection, and then click Properties.
  3. Click the Networking tab.
  4. In the Type of dial-up server I am calling box, click PPP: Windows 95/98/NT/2000, Internet.
  5. Click Settings.
  6. Click to clear the Negotiate multi-link for single link connections check box.
  7. Click OK, and then click OK.
To resolve this problem, obtain the latest service pack for Windows 2000. For additional information, click the following article number to view the article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:

260910 How to Obtain the Latest Windows 2000 Service Pack

The English version of this fix should have the following file attributes or later: 
   Date        Time    Version        Size       File name
 -----------------------------------------------------------
   4/6/2001   02:58p  5.0.2195.3466  197,392    Rasppp.dll

STATUS

Microsoft has confirmed that this is a problem in the Microsoft products that are listed at the beginning of this article. This problem was first corrected in Windows 2000 Service Pack 3.

MORE INFORMATION

WARNING: If you use Registry Editor incorrectly, you may cause serious problems that may require you to reinstall your operating system. Microsoft cannot guarantee that you can solve problems that result from using Registry Editor incorrectly. Use Registry Editor at your own risk.

The Negotiate multi-link for single link connections option is enabled by default in Windows 2000. You can also modify the registry to disable this option:
  1. Start Registry Editor (Regedt32.exe).
  2. Locate the following key in the registry:

    HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Services\RASMAN\PPP

  3. On the Edit menu, click Add Value, and then add the following registry value:

    Value Name: DontNegotiateMultiLinkOnSingleLink
    Data Type: REG_DWORD
    Value: 1

  4. Quit Registry Editor.
  5. Restart the computer.
For additional information about multilink, click the article number below to view the article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:

235610 Overview of Multilink and Bandwidth Allocation Protocol (BAP)

Modification Type:MinorLast Reviewed:9/26/2005
Keywords:kbHotfixServer kbQFE kbbug kbfix kbnetwork kbWin2000sp3fix KB256213
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