RAS Error: "The communications device attached to port..."

• Microsoft Windows NT Workstation version 3.51
• Microsoft Windows NT Server version 3.51

SYMPTOMS

You receive one or more occurrences of the following error message in the System Log of the Windows NT Event Viewer:

   Event ID: 20015
   Source: RemoteAccess
   Description: The communications device attached to port COMX is not
                functioning.

   NOTE: X represents the number of a COM port.

   Modem Condition: Hardware failure
   Line Condition:  Line non-operational

CAUSE

You have configured RAS to allow dial-in for one or more modems with a device name equal to 32 characters in length. This problem will likely appear if you are using a multiport serial adapter and multiple ports are configured for devices with names equal to 32 characters. The error message may not appear for all ports configured with a device name equal to 32 characters.

RESOLUTION

Edit the device name in %SystemRoot%\system32\ras\MODEM.INF so that it is no more than 31 characters in length. Although the documented limit to the length of a device name in MODEM.INF is 32 characters, using less than 32 characters solves the problem. Use the following steps to workaround this problem:

1. Open %SystemRoot%\system32\ras\MODEM.INF in a text editor.

2. Find the section in MODEM.INF that corresponds to your modem. This section will be identified by the name of the modem enclosed in square brackets.

3. Modify the name of the modem so it is no more than 31 characters in length. The open and close square bracket characters do not count as one of the 31 characters.

4. Save MODEM.INF.

5. Open the Network section of Control Panel.

6. Configure the Remote Access Service.

7. Choose the Configure button and select the new device name entered in step 3, then choose OK.

8. Choose Continue, then choose OK.

9. Shutdown and restart Windows NT.

STATUS

Microsoft has confirmed this to be a problem in Windows NT version 3.51. We are researching this problem and will post new information here in the Microsoft Knowledge Base as it becomes available.