Windows 2008 RRAS and PPPoE

Ok, here's a serious puzzle; i'm totally unable to solve it, even after
years of experience with Windows 2000 and 2003's RRAS.

I'm trying to use Windows Server 2008's Routing and Remote Access Server to
share an ADSL connection which uses PPPoE, but I'm having no luck; the
server version is 2008 R2, but I've read the same happens with "old" Server
2008.

I can setup the connection as a broadband Internet connection in Windows,
and it works.

I can share it using Internet Connection sharing, and it works (but it's not
what I need).

I have installed and enabled the Routing and Remote Access Service and
configured it for NAT with a demand-dial interface; I created the
aforementioned interface using PPPoE, with the exact same parameters used on
the Windows connection; I connected it, and it seems to work: I can also see
it gets its public IP address and DNS assigned correctly.

But it just doesn't work.

The server has no Internet connectivity at all, and PINGing anything on the
Internet results in a cryptic "general error".


Any help?


Massimo

"Massimo" <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote in message
news:(E-Mail Removed)...
> Ok, here's a serious puzzle; i'm totally unable to solve it, even after
> years of experience with Windows 2000 and 2003's RRAS.
>
> I'm trying to use Windows Server 2008's Routing and Remote Access Server
> to share an ADSL connection which uses PPPoE, but I'm having no luck; the
> server version is 2008 R2, but I've read the same happens with "old"
> Server 2008.
>
> I can setup the connection as a broadband Internet connection in Windows,
> and it works.
>
> I can share it using Internet Connection sharing, and it works (but it's
> not what I need).
>
> I have installed and enabled the Routing and Remote Access Service and
> configured it for NAT with a demand-dial interface; I created the
> aforementioned interface using PPPoE, with the exact same parameters used
> on the Windows connection; I connected it, and it seems to work: I can
> also see it gets its public IP address and DNS assigned correctly.
>
> But it just doesn't work.
>
> The server has no Internet connectivity at all, and PINGing anything on
> the Internet results in a cryptic "general error".
>
>
> Any help?
>
>
> Massimo
>

I can't see anything wrong with that. I can't test it because I am
behind a Modem/router which handles the PPPoE itself.

"Bill Grant" <not.available@online> ha scritto nel messaggio
news:(E-Mail Removed)...

> I can't see anything wrong with that.

Neither can I, but it Just Doesn't Work :-/

The only hint I have is, when the connection gets dialed by Windows, it gets
a default gateway which can be seen in IPCONFIG (although it is "0.0.0.0",
which doesn't seem to mean a lot). When it gets dialed by RRAS, it doesn't
get one.

Network config is, of course, given by my ISP (the connections are both set
to use DHCP).


Massimo

"Massimo" <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote in message
news:%23%(E-Mail Removed)...
> "Bill Grant" <not.available@online> ha scritto nel messaggio
> news:(E-Mail Removed)...
>
>> I can't see anything wrong with that.
>
> Neither can I, but it Just Doesn't Work :-/
>
> The only hint I have is, when the connection gets dialed by Windows, it
> gets a default gateway which can be seen in IPCONFIG (although it is
> "0.0.0.0", which doesn't seem to mean a lot). When it gets dialed by RRAS,
> it doesn't get one.
>
> Network config is, of course, given by my ISP (the connections are both
> set to use DHCP).
>
>
> Massimo
>


I assume all instances of the Windows 2008 firewall is disabled, ICS is
disabled in Services, as well as any other third party security and AV
software that may be blocking traffic?

--
Ace

This posting is provided "AS-IS" with no warranties or guarantees and
confers no rights.

Please reply back to the newsgroup or forum to benefit from collaboration
among responding engineers, and to help others benefit from your resolution.

Ace Fekay, MCT, MCTS Exchange, MCSE, MCSA 2003 & 2000, MCSA Messaging
Microsoft Certified Trainer

For urgent issues, please contact Microsoft PSS directly. Please check
http://support.microsoft.com for regional support phone numbers.

"Ace Fekay [MCT]" <(E-Mail Removed)> ha scritto nel messaggio
news:%23O7Ke%(E-Mail Removed)...

> I assume all instances of the Windows 2008 firewall is disabled, ICS is
> disabled in Services, as well as any other third party security and AV
> software that may be blocking traffic?

Of course, but it was good to ask :-)

I also tried removing the Windows broadband connection, fully de-configuring
RRAS and then re-configuring it from scratch with the demand-dial PPPoE
interface. Same behaviour as before.


Massimo

"Massimo" <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote in message
news:(E-Mail Removed)...
> "Ace Fekay [MCT]" <(E-Mail Removed)> ha scritto nel
> messaggio news:%23O7Ke%(E-Mail Removed)...
>
>> I assume all instances of the Windows 2008 firewall is disabled, ICS is
>> disabled in Services, as well as any other third party security and AV
>> software that may be blocking traffic?
>
> Of course, but it was good to ask :-)
>
> I also tried removing the Windows broadband connection, fully
> de-configuring RRAS and then re-configuring it from scratch with the
> demand-dial PPPoE interface. Same behaviour as before.
>
>
> Massimo
>


I haven't done it yet in 2008, for I would opt to put in place a Cisco ASA,
or even a Linksys router, but I used to do it all the time with 2000/2003
when teaching class with my instructor machine to provide NAT for the
classroom. It sounds like you did it right, so I'm not sure what to say,
other than those questions I posed.

Did you install a 3rd party for this, or did 2008 automatically recognize
the PPPoE interface when connected?

Maybe it's a simple directional thing choosing the outside interface
correctly? I assume there's only one gateway, and that's on the PPPoE
external interface? How about DNS addresses? Are both interfaces pointed to
the internal DNS (assuming that's what you have)?

I also assume this is not a DC...

Ace

"Ace Fekay [MCT]" <(E-Mail Removed)> ha scritto nel messaggio
news:eE$(E-Mail Removed)...

> Did you install a 3rd party for this, or did 2008 automatically recognize
> the PPPoE interface when connected?

Nothing installed, I have this PPPoE ADSL modem connected to my network, and
I can use it without problems from any operating system (XP, 2003, Vista,
2008, 7, 2008 R2); I just create a "broadband connection" from Windows, put
username and password in it and it works.
The same, done from RRAS, doesn't work.

> Maybe it's a simple directional thing choosing the outside interface
> correctly? I assume there's only one gateway, and that's on the PPPoE
> external interface?

The only strange thing I noted, as I posted before, is that when dialed from
Windows the PPPoE interface gets a default gateway (although a very strange
one, 0.0.0.0), while when dialed from RRAS it doesn't get any.

> How about DNS addresses? Are both interfaces pointed to the internal DNS
> (assuming that's what you have)?

DNS just isn't involved here, a ping to any Internet IP address fails with
"general error".
Anyway, DNS gets properly assigned to the PPPoE interface by my ISP, so this
shouldn't be a problem; but I can't even ping it.

> I also assume this is not a DC...

Of course :-)


Massimo

"Massimo" <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote in message
news:(E-Mail Removed)...
> "Ace Fekay [MCT]" <(E-Mail Removed)> ha scritto nel
> messaggio news:eE$(E-Mail Removed)...
>
>> Did you install a 3rd party for this, or did 2008 automatically recognize
>> the PPPoE interface when connected?
>
> Nothing installed, I have this PPPoE ADSL modem connected to my network,
> and I can use it without problems from any operating system (XP, 2003,
> Vista, 2008, 7, 2008 R2); I just create a "broadband connection" from
> Windows, put username and password in it and it works.
> The same, done from RRAS, doesn't work.
>
>> Maybe it's a simple directional thing choosing the outside interface
>> correctly? I assume there's only one gateway, and that's on the PPPoE
>> external interface?
>
> The only strange thing I noted, as I posted before, is that when dialed
> from Windows the PPPoE interface gets a default gateway (although a very
> strange one, 0.0.0.0), while when dialed from RRAS it doesn't get any.
>
>> How about DNS addresses? Are both interfaces pointed to the internal DNS
>> (assuming that's what you have)?
>
> DNS just isn't involved here, a ping to any Internet IP address fails with
> "general error".
> Anyway, DNS gets properly assigned to the PPPoE interface by my ISP, so
> this shouldn't be a problem; but I can't even ping it.
>
>> I also assume this is not a DC...
>
> Of course :-)
>
>
> Massimo
>


I was just stabbing at ideas. Curious, and like I said, I haven't tried it
yet with 2008, but if it works creating a broadband connection in Windows,
will it allow you add it as the outside interface?

Curious, does an ipconfig show a gateway on the internal LAN interface?

As for the 0.0.0.0 gateway, if I understand what's going on and relating it
to the way Cisco shows it, that may mean to use the default gateway (defined
elsewhere) to go to a destination that isn't otherwise defined in the
routing table. I believe that's how the PPPoE connection gateway gets
defined.

It seems others have had the problem, but with the same unanswered results.
http://social.technet.microsoft.com/...4-7441cc7a91c8
http://social.technet.microsoft.com/...6-9dfbac7d9826

and our own thread:
http://www.microsoft.com/communities...r=US&sloc=&p=1


However, it may possibly be either RSS, TCP Chimney, or an MTU setting. I
know the MTU for PPP is 1492 instead of 1500. You can test the MTU by pings
to see where it may ping.

MTU Ping TestMTU Ping Test. A series of ping tests using the command, ping
www.expedient.net -f -l xxxx, where xxxx is the packet size, can be used to
determine the ...
http://help.expedient.com/broadband/mtu_ping_test.shtml

Also, read the following for more insight about RSS, TCP Chimney, MTU and
more...

Windows Vista / 2008 Tweaks
Tweaking Vista TCP/IP settings for broadband internet connections
http://www.speedguide.net/read_articles.php?id=2574

I would probably disable the RSS and TCP Chimney features for starters
anyway. Read my article on the RSS and TCP Chimney features.

TCP Chimney and RSS Features May Cause Slow File Transfers or Cause
Connectivity Problems
http://msmvps.com/blogs/acefekay/arc...-problems.aspx


I am now curious if you can get it to work modifying these settings (one at
a time until it works?). If this is a test box, try the changes mentioned.
You can always set them back if it doesn't work

Ace

"Ace Fekay [MCT]" <(E-Mail Removed)> ha scritto nel messaggio

> I was just stabbing at ideas. Curious, and like I said, I haven't tried it
> yet with 2008, but if it works creating a broadband connection in Windows,
> will it allow you add it as the outside interface?

No, RRAS wants to have its own demand-dial interfaces; it's the same with
modems. Those connections are internal to RRAS, and don't show up in Windows
networking (although they get an Ip configuration you can check using
IPCONFIG).

> Curious, does an ipconfig show a gateway on the internal LAN interface?

No, there isn't any.

> I am now curious if you can get it to work modifying these settings (one
> at a time until it works?). If this is a test box, try the changes
> mentioned. You can always set them back if it doesn't work

I'll have a look at them, thanks.


Massimo

"Massimo" <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote in message
news:%(E-Mail Removed)...
>
>> I am now curious if you can get it to work modifying these settings (one
>> at a time until it works?). If this is a test box, try the changes
>> mentioned. You can always set them back if it doesn't work
>
> I'll have a look at them, thanks.
>
>
> Massimo

I am curious if it helps. There doesn't seem to be much else out there on
2008 and PPPoE.

Ace