RDC and Macs

Printable View

April 20th, 2005, 05:56 PM
AngelicKnight

RDC and Macs

So, on the front end, I am NOT Mac illiterate at all.

We have one employee who purchased a new OSX Mac laptop, and we're trying to get it to remote connect to our W2k terminal servers via RDC that MS has available for download for Macs. This worked for a while, but now I get this message when I try to connect to our server now:

Quote:

Either remote connections are not enabled, the maximum number of connections was exceeded, or a network error occured.

Any other computer can connect just fine without this error, so it's only a problem with the Mac.

So any clue what to do with this? Is there perhaps a registry entry I need to tweak?
April 20th, 2005, 06:04 PM
zENGER

quote:
Either remote connections are not enabled, the maximum number of connections was exceeded, or a network error occured.

Well, since you can connect with another machine, remote connections are available, and the maximum number of connections is not exceeded. This leads to a network error. Can the laptop ping the machine that its trying to connect to?
April 20th, 2005, 06:24 PM
AngelicKnight

Is there a way to ping a machine from a mac without downloading a special tool?

I know, stupid question, but I am all but totally Mac illiterate.
April 20th, 2005, 06:38 PM
zENGER

Open up a terminal and type ping and the IP. I don't recall the exact way to do it though.
April 20th, 2005, 06:47 PM
AngelicKnight

Ok, I got it now. Pinging the server is working just fine.
April 20th, 2005, 06:51 PM
zENGER

Are you trying to connect to the TS via the IP or the name?

Is it really TS, or is it Win2k Server with RDP enabled for admin purposes?

Has anything changed in your setup?

Is this MAC on the local network and are there any special devices between the machine and the server?
April 20th, 2005, 06:59 PM
AngelicKnight

Quote:

Are you trying to connect to the TS via the IP or the name?

Tried it both ways.

Quote:

Is it really TS, or is it Win2k Server with RDP enabled for admin purposes?

It's really TS.

Quote:

Has anything changed in your setup?

Not that I'm aware of at least.

Quote:

Is this MAC on the local network and are there any special devices between the machine and the server?

It's connected to the LAN wirelessly.
April 20th, 2005, 07:07 PM
zENGER

Did the user happen to install some type of firewall or something? I've had problems with RDP and host-based firewalls before. That would be the next line I would take in resolving this issue.
April 20th, 2005, 07:08 PM
MrLinus

Has the server been patched or updated from the time it worked to the time it didn't? When I used to be on Mac I'd run into weird little glitches due to "fixes" done on Windows servers (worst one prevented connection to Secure-SMTP on an Exchange box).

You can run a packet sniffer on Mac (tcpdump should be there and you should be able to fire up Ethereal). It might be worthwhile to see what's being sent, if anything, to and from the OS X box.
April 20th, 2005, 07:19 PM
AngelicKnight

Quote:

Did the user happen to install some type of firewall or something?

Not that I'm aware of, but I'll inquire about it.

Quote:

Has the server been patched or updated from the time it worked to the time it didn't?

No new patches since then.

Could it be the server thinks there's a licensing issue? That's what I've suspected, which is why I was thinking perhaps a registry change somewhere would refresh it and allow it to connect.
April 20th, 2005, 07:35 PM
MrLinus

Quote:

Could it be the server thinks there's a licensing issue? That's what I've suspected, which is why I was thinking perhaps a registry change somewhere would refresh it and allow it to connect.

What makes you think it's a licensing issue? Event viewer logs showing anything?
April 20th, 2005, 07:41 PM
AngelicKnight

Just a wild guess of sorts from this:

Quote:

the maximum number of connections was exceeded

I have found that W2k servers tend to be funny about that sometimes. I've had W2k laptops give errors before that their license to connect to the server had gone out, though no licenses had been used up. Usually something like a registry fix did the trick. Evidently this one on the Mac was like a 30-day license or something of the sort, according to the user.
April 20th, 2005, 07:55 PM
zENGER

I would think it would just plain flat out tell you if the client license had expired. As far as the server goes, if other machines connect, it hasn't expired. Do you have any XP Pro machines there? Turn on RDP and try to connect to them. This will help you narrow down if it is a client or server issue.
April 20th, 2005, 08:05 PM
AngelicKnight

Yeah, the XP Pro machines are doing fine.
April 20th, 2005, 08:14 PM
zENGER

What I meant was turn on the ability for the MAC to connect to one of the XP machines temporarily. This can be done by right clicking mycomputer and going to properties. Then click the remote tab and turn on remote desktop.
April 20th, 2005, 10:18 PM
AngelicKnight

Gotcha. The other laptops are XP, but the terminal server is W2k. Sorry, should've made that clearer. So the W2k doesn't have that option under My Computer properties as it appears in XP, but I checked services, and everything required seems to be running...but one thing catches my attention.

Terminal Services Licensing service is disabled. Could that be the culprit I wonder?
April 20th, 2005, 11:07 PM
Tiger Shark

Quote:

Terminal Services Licensing service is disabled. Could that be the culprit I wonder?

Terminal services allows for two concurrent _administrative_ connections per Windows 2000, (and I am guessing 2003), server. However, if you have set the server to Application mode then the game changes a little. If you are using a Win2k or XP Pro machine to connect then the TS license is built in to the client. If you are using Win9X or other system then a license needs to be purchased, (typically $30, but probably cheaper now).

Now, here's the problem.... TS Licensing can be a PITA. It screws things up sometimes and boxes that are "technically" licensed, (a Win2k box for example), will take a license. Then the box that actually needs the license can't have it.... M$ doesn't care in the TS licensing app if you uninstall TS and format the box that has "stolen" the license. It also won't give up that license unless you jump through a few hoops... One of my employees knows the "short" way but first time around you have to call M$ IIRC.

So, in short, ;), it seems like your XP boxes are connecting correctly because they are attaching to the _administrative_ "socket", (for terminology's sake), but the Mac isn't able to because it requires the license.... The problem you might have is that if you enable the license server and enter a valid license you might get it stolen by a WinX box if you aren't careful....

Be scared of TS licensing... Be very scared.... ;)

Run two XP boxes simultaneously connecting to the TS server and then try a third... You _should_ be denied access from the third XP box. Then you have an issue if you want to use this as an application server.
April 20th, 2005, 11:52 PM
AngelicKnight

Quote:

Run two XP boxes simultaneously connecting to the TS server and then try a third... You _should_ be denied access from the third XP box.

What about W2k Pro client machines? The terminal server usually has anywhere from 10+ clients connected to it simultaneously without any problems, including W2k and XP machines alike (but usually mostly W2k...as only our laptops, two new desktops, and employees connecting from home have XP).

But I can indeed connect three XP clients simultaneously.
April 21st, 2005, 01:08 AM
zENGER

He's running TS, and thus can have more than the 2 admin connections.

AK, try to connect from the MAC to an XP machine. This will check to see if the MAC client is working correctly. You do this in by going to the XP machine and doing the instructions I posted earlier. Then on the MAC use the IP of the XP machine and see if you can remotely connect to it.
April 21st, 2005, 05:12 PM
AngelicKnight

Ok, it does work on the test XP machine.
April 22nd, 2005, 10:03 PM
Tiger Shark

I take it the server is in application mode then?

This being the case it does explain why not having the licensing service running may be keeping the Mac off.... It isn't licensed. The Win2k and XP Pro(?) machines are by their nature.... Your Mac probably isn't and will probably require the purchase of a license and entering that licanse into the licensing service..... have the user buy it and slap him for being so silly as to purchase a machine that is non-native to your environment and then expect you to jump through hoops to make it work for them..... Alternatively, smile sweetly as you tell them that under the amendment to the AUP the IT department no longer supports anything but windows products and they need to call Mac.... ;)
April 25th, 2005, 05:48 PM
AngelicKnight

Indeed it is an application server, and with futher looking, I've found that the DC does have terminal services licensing available, and you were right, the Mac doesn't have one.

There is a workaround on Windows machines. An unlicensed Windows machine will use a 90-day license then drop it after the time's up. You can make a change in the registry to reset that and refresh your license for free every 90 days (is that even legal?). So if that's legal, is there a way to do the same on a Mac?
April 25th, 2005, 06:00 PM
zENGER

No, thats not legal, unless you possess the CAL's for the machines.. and just don't have them installed? I would look more into getting the CALs for the machines added than to find a way around it. I thought 2000/XP machines came with CAL's though, which would mean you would only need them for any MACs or 9x machines.
April 25th, 2005, 09:52 PM
AngelicKnight

Heh, get this.

Boss swears up and down that we purchased the CALs, but they were "eaten" and gone forever. Go fig. So, my orders are to give up on the Mac. Wierd stuff eh?