TCP/IP Connection Disconnected After Inactive Period

• Microsoft Windows 95
• Microsoft Windows 95 OEM Service Release versions 1, 2, 2.1

IMPORTANT: This article contains information about editing the registry. Before you edit the registry, you should first make a backup copy of the registry files (System.dat and User.dat). Both are hidden files in the Windows folder.

SYMPTOMS

After a long period of inactivity, you may receive a message that the TCP/IP connection to the server has been disconnected.

CAUSE

This behavior can occur when the session has been inactive for a long period of time and the KeepAliveTime time setting has expired.

RESOLUTION

WARNING: Using Registry Editor incorrectly can cause serious problems that may require you to reinstall Windows 95. Microsoft cannot guarantee that problems resulting from the incorrect use of Registry Editor can be solved. Use Registry Editor at your own risk.

NOTE: For information about how to edit the registry, view the Changing Keys And Values online Help topic in Registry Editor (Regedit.exe). Note that you should make a backup copy of the registry files (System.dat and User.dat) before you edit the registry.

To resolve this issue, add a key to the registry to increase the default value of the KeepAliveTime setting.

The entry described in this article does not normally exist in the Windows 95 registry, and must be added to the following registry key:

   Hkey_Local_Machine\System\CurrentControlSet\Services\VxD\MSTCP

      KeepAliveTime = <32-bit number>

MORE INFORMATION

Windows 95 does not send keepalive packets after the KeepAliveTime value expires. Increasing the KeepAliveTime value keeps the connection open for a longer period of time.

For additional information about TCP/IP registry entries, see the following article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:

   ARTICLE-ID: Q158474
   TITLE     : Windows 95 TCP/IP Registry Entries 

   ARTICLE-ID: Q139437
   TITLE     : Windows 95 Emergency Recovery Utility