Demand-Dial Routing

Testing Demand-Dial Connections

You can test whether a demand-dial connection works correctly either manually or automatically.

Manual Test

By manually testing a demand-dial connection, you are testing whether the PPP link can be established. Manual testing verifies that the configuration of the authentication methods, encryption, user credentials, and address for the demand-dial interface are valid.

To manually connect a demand-dial interface

In the Routing and Remote Access snap-in, double-click Routing Interfaces.
Right-click the appropriate demand-dial interface.
Click Connect.

Once the demand-dial connection is made, the Connection Status column of the demand-dial interface changes from Disconnected to Connected.

If you cannot manually connect the demand-dial interface, see "Troubleshooting Demand-Dial Routing" later in this chapter.

Automatic

By automatically testing a demand-dial connection, you are testing whether the demand-dial connection is automatically initiated when traffic matching a configured route is sent to the demand-dial router. Before automatic testing, ensure that the appropriate static routes are configured on the calling router and answering router.

To test for an automatic connection, verify that the demand-dial interface being tested is in a disconnected state. Next, generate network traffic for a location that exists across the demand-dial connection. One easy way to generate IP traffic is to use the ping or tracert commands.

For ping and tracert, the first attempt might fail due to the connection establishment delay. However, the first packet being sent across the interface causes the demand-dial interface to be connected. Subsequent use of the testing utility is successful once the connection has been made. One way to see the connection process from an application viewpoint is to use the ping command with the "-t" command line option to continue sending Internet Control Message Protocol (ICMP) Echo Request messages until interrupted. You see "Request timed out" messages until the demand-dial connection is made, after which you see the replies.

If you cannot automatically connect the demand-dial interface, see "Troubleshooting Demand-Dial Routing" later in this chapter.