Add this to Windows Server VPN troubleshooting list; RAS error 678

I hope I can make this short.

I was having trouble with a Windows 2003 Standard server and remote
vpn connections. Searching groups + internet, there were lots of
topics
covering issues regarding firewalls and blocked ports etc.

In my case the error was to do with the account I was using to
access the server. I set up a number of user accounts and added
them to an "offsite" group. However, the group was local. All accounts
had Remote Access enabled in their individual properties.

I noticed this later, made a global "offsite" group (removed the local
one).
Moved all the appropriate users into that group. It now seems I can
make a VPN connection to the server across the internet. (And thus
file
share, print share etc.)

For all the MCSE's out there, who are properly drilled in Active
Directory,
they would probably never make a basic error like this. (the group
was local because I enabled Active Directory _after_ it was created,
I believe).

For all the others who may be scratching their heads over the error I
got,
I hope just one of you finds this and it helps them.

I believe the Microsoft Windows RAS error was 678 "Could not connect
to remote computer", client Win2kPro/Windows 2000 Professional. The
connection would start ok, then stall, with 3 packets being sent
and none returned (three flashes of the network connection send icon
in the taskbar).

None of the suggested troubleshooting steps for that error code (that
I found)
mentioned that this could be the cause of the fault.

Keywords: vpn router firewall RRAS ras error 678 Win2kpro win2k3
server pptp
l2tp port remote respond client authenticate dialup

Thank you for your time,

Kim Groves
Fleetstar Software
Adv.Dip Eng (Comp.Sys)