Windows 2000 Server will not accept any terminal connections

[Mark H. Cohn]

The Remote Desktop Client responds with the following
message:
The client could not establish a connection to the remote
computer
The most likely causes for this error are:
1) Remote connections might not be enabled at the remote
computer
2) The maximum number of connections was exceeded at the
remote computer
3) A network error occurred while establishing the
connection

 

[Vera Noest [MVP]]

Without more information, this could be anyhting...

Which OS and SP do you run on the server?
And on the client?
Is there anything in the EventLog of the TS when you try to connect?
Do you get this error from *all* clients (meaning that no one can
connect)?
Are the clients on the LAN or on a WAN?
Can you ping the TS from the client?
Is the TS listening on port 3389 (check with netstat - an)

 

[Mark H. Cohn]

Vera,

Windows 2000 Server SP4
All hotfixes from Windows Update have been applied since
11/18/2003
The EventLog show nothing...no events at all in any logs
All clients get this. I did a netstat -an and the
listening port is 86 and it is listening on this port.
This is affect both LAN and WAN clients.

Thanks,

Mark

 

[Vera Noest [MVP]]

Have you manually changed the Terminal Server to listen on port 86
instead of the default port 3389? Have the clients been changed
accordingly?
Note that port 86 is in the range of the Well Known Ports (0 through
1023) and should not be used for other processes than the one that is
assigned by the IANA. Check:

http://www.iana.org/assignments/port-numbers

I would change it back to 3389 or to another port in the registered
or private range, and verify that the clienbts use the same port.

304304 - Configuring the Remote Desktop Client to Connect to a
Specific Port
http://support.microsoft.com/?kbid=304304

No events at all must mean that your EventLog is corrupted, which is
usually caused by a full EventLog. I would fix that asap, this isn't
making troubleshooting easier. Have you cleared all eventlogs
manually? There is a pre-SP5 hotfix to prevent this from happening
again:

829246 - Event Logs Are Corrupted
http://support.microsoft.com/?kbid=829246

 

[Guest]

we are also runninh W2000 SP4 and have the same issue, but it is listening on port 3389, however we get the same error
Terminal services is installed in remote admin mode and no one can connect... the other two servers are fine

any ideas