iPass Troubleshooting Guide
This document was prepared to accompany troubleshooting issues with DIAL technologies and iPassConnect 3.0, which will offer possible solutions to a given problem. Used properly, this document should help to lower the amount of time taken to identify and resolve an issue. To use this document, start at number 1, and follow the directions that apply to your situation.
If the user is reporting other connectivity issues, proceed with the following steps:
Step /Questions to ask End Users
/ Referred to Sections1. / First ask the user if they have ever successfully logged in using the iPass service.
If yes, continue to step 2
If no, refer to …………………………………………………………. / Section 6
2. / Ask the user if they hear the dial tone when they initiate a connection.
If no, refer to…………………………………………………………….
If yes, continue to step 3.
If the user is reporting a busy signal refer to ……………………. / Section 1
Section 4
3. / Ask the user if they are using a bookmarked number.
If no, continue to step 4
If yes, refer to ………………………………………………………... / Section 15
4. / Ask the user what happens after dialing. Is the connection answered by a modem, or a recording or voice?
If answered by a modem, proceed to the step 5.
If answered by a recording or voice, refer to ……………………….. / Section 2 & 7
5. / If the user reports that when they attempt to dial the number, they hear the modem speaker turn on, and there is immediately loud modem type noise on the line, please refer to ……………………...
If not, continue to Step 6. / Section 3
6. / Ask the user if the modems stopped handshaking, (i.e., making the screeching noise), and moved to Authenticating Username and Password, or if the modems just made noise until disconnected.
If the modems successfully completed handshaking, skip to step 8.
If the modems don’t complete handshaking, proceed to step 7.
7. / If the modems could not successfully negotiate, did this error happen on one number, or did it occur on every number that the user attempted?
If this only happened on one number, but other numbers successfully negotiated, the number they were attempting to connect to may be down. If they can connect to another number, suggest that they continue to use that number, and report the outage to the iPass Help Desk.
If the modems fail to negotiate a connection on any number,
refer to ……………………………………………………………….. / Section 5
8. / If modems have successfully negotiated a connection, did the message change from “Connecting” to “Authenticating Username and Password”?
If yes, but authentication failed, refer to …………………………….
If no, refer to…………………………………………………………..
If the user reports Username and password errors, refer to ……… / Section 13
Section 9
Section 14
9. / If the user is reporting sessions being disconnected, refer to ….… / Section 11
10. / If the user is calling because there are no local access numbers in their location, refer to …………………………..………………...… / Section 12
11.
12. / If the user is reporting slow access to the web, refer to ..……..
Instruct the user to select Help –Connection Log in iPassConnect, and read the error code listed in the Error code field. Refer to…… / Section 10
Section 16
13. / If the problem is not identified using the steps above, refer to …… / Section 13
Section 1 / No Dial Tone or Modem Sound
· Make sure there is a working phone line and the phone line is connected to the computer and the phone jack.
· Check to see if the user’s modem is turned on and connected to the user’s computer and the phone system.
· Make sure the modem volume is not turned off or disabled in the modem properties.
· If the system is digital (versus analog), they will need a special adapter to connect. The user could also request access to a fax line, as this must be analog to function.
· Sometimes dial tones from different parts of the world are interpreted differently by the user’s modem (e.g., the user’s modem “thinks” the phone is busy, when in reality it is a pulsing dial tone. Try setting the user’s Windows software to not detect a dial tone when dialing:
Open StartSettingsControl PanelModems.
On the Modems Properties window, highlight the user’s modem and click Properties.
Click the Connection tab and uncheck “wait for dial tone before dialing.”
Click OK until you can close out of the Modem Properties window.
(On some machines, you need to reboot for changes to take effect).
· Check the user’s settings menu in iPassConnect, (Options menu – Settings), to see that you have the correct modem selected.
· The user may not have a modem in the computer; if that is the case they will need to install one in order to use the iPass service.
Section 2 / No Answer / Human Answer
· Check to make sure the dial properties are filled out correctly for their location. (For more detail on this, please refer to Section 7).
· Try dialing another number; the access number the user is dialing may be inactive or temporarily unavailable. The iPass service offers multiple access points in major business centers.
· It is possible that the number the user is attempting to dial into is no longer iPass enabled, and the user has disabled the automatic phonebook update feature in their client. Have the user read the number they are attempting, and check if it is listed in your client. (Ensure that your phonebook is up-to-date, by clicking Options, Update Phonebook from the main client interface while connected to the LAN. If the number is not active, have them try another number. If the user is in a location where no alternate number available, look for an All Cities number. If no other number is available, the user may be required to dial outside of their local area long enough to update the phonebook.
Section 3 / Loud Modem Noise on the line while trying to Connect
· The phone line might already be in use, check that the user is connected to the proper port, and that no other communications devices are in use on the line.
· If modem handshaking was never achieved, (IE the “screeching noise” made while connecting continues until the connection is dropped), this can be an indication of corruption in the TCP/IP stack. For more information on identifying and correcting this issue, please refer to Section 5.
Section 4 / Busy Signal
· Instruct the user to connect through another number, or if that is not an option, wait a few minutes and try connecting again.
· If the user is using a hotel line in another country, (especially in Japan and Germany), note that some have a dial tone that sounds just like a busy signal, and modem can’t tell the difference. To avoid that problem, set the user’s Windows software to not detect a dial tone when dialing. To do this:
- Start - Settings - Control Panel - Modems. On the Modems
- Properties window, highlight the user’s modem and click Properties.
- Click the Connection tab and uncheck "wait for dial tone before dialing." Click OK.
· What time did the user attempt to log in? In areas where access is limited to one or two providers, capacity issues can arise during Peak Usage hours. Instruct the user to keep trying, or try another number.
Section 5 / Identifying and addressing corruption in the TCP/IP stack (Win 98 ONLY)
A common problem encountered with dial up services on Windows 95/98 is corruption of the Microsoft™ TCP/IP stack. This problem will be indicated by PPP or other protocol errors, (i.e. PPP terminated by remote machine), which will occur every time the user tries to log in, on ALL numbers. The other indication of this problem is when the modem handshaking, (i.e. the screeching noises made when the modems connect), continues for more than 35 seconds, and the connection is terminated, usually followed by an error message as described above. If you encounter this type of issue, first ask the user if they: A.) Have the Windows CD or B.) Have the .CAB files, (a copy of the Windows CD), on their hard drive. If they do not, they will be unable to perform the fix for this problem. If they do, proceed to the steps below:
1.) Have the user open their Network Properties menu. This can be done by either right-clicking on Network Neighborhood, or opening the Control Panel, and double-clicking on Network.
2.) Verify that the three essential components for establishing a PPP Dial-Up connection are in place. These are: 1.) Client for Microsoft Networks; 2.) Dial-Up Adapter; 3.) TCP/IP protocol, bound to the Dial-Up Adapter. (NOTE: There will most likely be many other networking components installed, but as long as these are present, they should be fine.) If any of these are missing, have the user add them.
3.) Once you have verified that the (3) essential components are installed, have the user click the “Ok” button. Make sure that they do NOT hit “Cancel”, as this will cause the fix not to work.
4.) Windows will go through “Building a driver information database”, and then prompt the user for the Windows CD, or the path to the .CAB files. Have them direct this to the proper location. When the files are copying, a prompt should appear that states “Version conflict, the file being copied is older than the one currently in use. Do you wish to keep the newer file?” This is likely the corrupt file, which seems to be newer, as the change date is newer than the original file. If the date is prior to the last time the user successfully connected, this may be a Winsock update, DO keep the newer file. If the date on the “newer” file is around the last time the user successfully connected, DO NOT keep the newer file.
5.) Once the file has been replaced, the machine will prompt the user to reboot. When their machine comes back up, they should be able to connect with no further difficulty.
Section 6 / Has the user ever successfully logged in with iPass?
· If the user has never successfully logged in using iPass, the account may not be activated, (i.e. not in AAA database), or may not be enabled for roaming via the iPass service. Contact the administrator responsible for maintaining the user database. You can also check the validity of the account using the Online RoamServer Test Tool located at the Network Status Pages on the iPass Secure website.
Section 7 / Are Dial Properties Correct for the location?
· Have the user open the Dial Properties menu, (accessed by clicking the Dial Properties button on the lower left hand side of the client), and make sure that their settings are correct for their location. (IE if they are in a hotel or office building, with a PBX, they may need to enter an 8 or 9 to access an outside line. Have the user check with the hotel desk, or someone in the office to find the proper digit. Also, the user may be trying to disable call waiting on a line which does not have call waiting, resulting in a failed connection).
· Have the user pick up the phone and dial the number – they may hear a message explaining the problem – e.g., the hotel PBX system is overloaded.
· If the user has their Location settings under Dial Properties set to a specific location, their client will try to dial the country / area code that would be necessary to reach the number from that location. Make sure that the user has their location set to “Location same as the number being dialed” in their Dial Properties.
· If the location requires 10 or 11 digit dialing, the user will not be able to connect without using the proper dial string. If the user is receiving a recording when trying to dial, have them dial the number the exact same way, and listen to the recording. If the recording says that they must dial the area code, or 1+ the area code to reach this number, have them change their settings under Dial Properties, and under Area Code rule, have them select “Dial Area Code”, or “Dial 1+ Area Code”, as appropriate. Also, if the user has instructed the client to dial using 10 or 11 digit dialing, and the area they are in does not require this, it can cause problems.
· If the calling card option is enabled, the user may have forgotten to enter their PIN in the appropriate box, which would result in a failed connection.
· In some countries, Tone dialing is not supported, if the user needs to dial using Pulse dialing, you can configure the client to do so in Dial Properties.
Section 8 / Password Authentication is slow (i.e., more than 60 seconds)
· In some areas of the world, the authentication packet may take longer to make it to the RoamServer and back. Make sure that the user has their client timeout, (located in the Settings, Connection Settings, Dial-up menu), set to a minimum of 120 seconds. (This is due to poor infrastructure in some countries, or overloaded telephone systems).
· It is possible that the authentication server or iPass RoamServer at the user’s ISP or company may be down or offline.
Section 9 / Did the message box display status “Dialing” then change to “Verifying username and password”?
· If the status "Verifying user name and password" appeared, how long did it take before the connection was rejected? What was the EXACT error message returned? (If the user does not remember, have them click Help – Dial Properties, and the error code will be listed, along with other valuable troubleshooting information).