2 replies to this topic

[chaz0426]

None of our IT guys including me can figure out why our VPN connection will not allow more than one user to transfer files in a particular folder or location on our file server at a time. From what I can tell, we connect to a VPN server that then allows us to access our file server and other servers ect once connected.


We tested it at work for a few hours today and what happens is:


If more than one user is connected via VPN and is in the same parent folder on our file server and if one user tries to transfer a file to a folder that even one other user is currently connected to through VPN on that server, all users trying to do the same (to other files or folders) are faced with a typical red windows error message that the says "network is not found" or "network resource not found" but the user remains connected. Usually the user will have to try to copy or move the folder a few times for it to be successful. Sometimes it works sometimes it doesn't. So far we have linked it to being if other connections are happening (even just one other) and if the data being copied, edited, or moved is more than 8mb. In some cases the user will be kicked out of that folder on windows explorer and will have to fire back up windows explorer and re-navigate to that folder.


We found that files under 5 or 6mb can sometimes be accessed by more than one user but the trouble comes when transferring folders more than 5mb which is quite often.


I briefly looked over their RRAS configuration and domain policy and couldn't find anything that stood out. I can't remember off the top of my head what settings could affect this. But everything seems pretty basically set up.


This has been an ongoing problem for a few weeks now however some of the IT guys said this hasn't been a problem before.


As a new MCSE/MCITP I've never been faced with anything this mystifying yet. Whatever it is seems to be connection related since users can infact connect and stay connected, just they can't be in the same folder or directory as anyone else at the same time when trying to access files without the above problems. If no one else is connected, things seem to be fine. There are several hundred users that occasionally need to work from home and maybe between 2 and 5 connections at any one time so this is a significant annoyance.


Any ideas of where I should begin troubleshooting? or any info I can gather. I'm clueless on this and after an hour of google searching, I can't find anything similar. I could use any advice.


What other options within RRAS or windows active directory or domain policy should I check that deals with VPN connections and multiple users accessing the same folders at the same time ect. ?


So far our two main theories are that it could be a router issue (we can't access our nearest router since it's located outside our building and out of our control). We do have a basic 24 port netgear switch in our server room. Or it could be a firewall issue. Our firewall is a custom firewall programmed by one of the professors that only he knows ect. So i don't even know how to use that. If it were up to me I'd scrap it and get an industry recognized firewall for troubleshooting purposes.


P.S. I don't have access to our routers (none of us do since that is beyond our department and we just deal with our 200 local machines, users, and several servers.)


We also setup a new test server running windows server 2008 R2 and tried having two clients VPN into the same folder on both Windows XP and Windows 7 and the same issue comes up. This happens if you VPN inside the network and outside. Same thing happened when trying to VPN from my home too.

This is weird. Any ideas?

[slw0901]

Remember what should be remembered, and forget what should be forgotten.Alter what is changeable, and accept what is mutable.

[Raistle]

Welll, to start, I agree about the firewall needing to be scrapped if no one knows how to reconfigure it for future (and current) needs. However, I don't think that's the likely source of your frustrations. You need to check the permissions on the VPN server for how many concurrent connections it allows each user AND how many connections maximum are allowed. If that sheds no light, then check the file server's Auditing permissions for file shares. It may be limiting file shares to 1 connection. Hope that heads you in the right direction at least!