Failure Connecting to Network Monitor Agent Across RAS Gateway

• Microsoft Windows NT Server versions 3.5 and 3.51
• Microsoft Systems Management Server versions 1.0, 1.1 and 1.2

SYMPTOMS

If your Remote Access Service (RAS) client is using the NetBEUI protocol to dial in to a remote network, and you attempt to use Microsoft Network Monitor to connect to a computer on the remote network running the Network Monitor Agent software, the following error message appears:

   Failure connecting to <agent_computer_name>

For additional information on connecting to an agent over a router, please see the following article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:

   ARTICLE-ID: Q124837
   TITLE     : Connecting to a Remote Network Monitor Agent Across a Router

CAUSE

The computer name of the computer running the Network Monitor Agent cannot be resolved.

Network Monitor registers two kinds of Names. The Agent registers the <computer_name><BE>..<BE> (total of 16 bytes) as a unique name. The Manager registers <computer_name><BF>..<BF> (total of 16 bytes) as a group name.

Group name is used because multiple instances of Network Monitor can be used on the same system. However, by default, Name Query from a Group Name is not forwarded by the RAS gateway.

RESOLUTION

To resolve this problem, modify the Registry on the RAS server:

WARNING: Using Registry Editor incorrectly can cause serious, system- wide problems that may require you to reinstall Windows NT to correct them. Microsoft cannot guarantee that any problems resulting from the use of Registry Editor can be solved. Use this tool at your own risk.

1. Run Registry Editor (REGEDT32.EXE).

2. From the HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE subtree, go to the following key: \SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Services\NetbiosInformation\Parameters

3. A number of values with EnumExport#:REG_DWORD:0 are listed. Change all EnumExport#: from 0 to 1

4. Shutdown and restart the server for the changes to take effect.

MORE INFORMATION

Network Monitor has the ability to capture traffic on a remote network by connecting via RAS to a system that is running the Network Monitor Agent software on the remote network. The Network Monitor Agent software is shipped with Windows NT Workstation and Windows NT Server versions 3.5 and 3.51.

To use Network Monitor to connect to the computer running the Network Monitor Agent Software, choose Networks from the Capture menu and select the "remote" option. Enter the computer name (with or without "\\") to connect to the remote computer.