Get disconnected after 5 minutes

[Rene]

We have our terminal services server (Windows 2000 Server
Sp3) configured to "never" disconnect a session (both in
TS config and in AD config), however, when the user
connects directly to the server (ie from his remote
workstation through the Internet, the firewall, the
router, then the server) and then leave the
sessions "idle" (ie he doesn't do any keyboard or mouse
actions on the session), he gets disconnected after some
more or less random amount of time, amount that is way too
short (5, 10, 15 minutes). The RDP protocol is set to
autolaunch the application after logging in, port 3389 is
open for incoming (ie from Internet to the server).

We tried connecting from the same workstation to the same
server, but though a VPN connection, and the session can
stay up 24-48 hours without a drop !

Anyone has a clue why we can't keep sessions up with
a "direct" connection ?

The client PCs are Windows XP (already include a TS CAL),
but one of then is a Windows 98 machine that was issued a
temp license which will expire in september; this machine
will be upgrade to XP soon.

Thanks in advance
RJ

 

[David Frans]

Make sure that the firewall is not configured to close an
idle IP session after a certain amount of time. I had
problems with that in the past as well.

David Frans

 

[Vera Noest [MVP]]

Could well be that there is a router between your clients and your
server, which sees no traffic and decides that the session must
have ended and throws it out. The solution in that case is to
enable KeepAlives. For the correct registry key, check:

216783 - Unable to Completely Disconnect a Terminal Server
Connection
http://support.microsoft.com/?kbid=216783

120642 - TCP/IP and NBT Configuration Parameters for Windows 2000
or Windows NT
http://support.microsoft.com/?kbid=120642

 

[Jessica Ball]

Have you also tried checking for an idle disconnect time on the client
network card?

Jessica

 

[Wayne]

I have seen the same symptom that turned out to be a LAN
problem. The ethernet card would disconnect and reconnect
every 5 to 10 minutes therefore causing the tcp session to
terminate, since the card came back up immediately, other
activity such as Netbios connections, IE, etc recovered
and the user did not notice the problem. Troubleshooting
identified a defective Dell docking station.