Can't login to a website only from my network

[dariely_ann]

Hello.  I'm having an issue login to a website through my network (named Academic Network). One third of the students on the Academic Network can't login to a student website, but they can from their cell phones or from a completely different network.  They are able to reach the page, just some cannot login; it seems like there is a limit on how many people can login, but this issue is sporadic and sometimes fixes itself or sometimes there aren't any problems.  I keep telling my management that I don't believe is the Academic Network since the students can get to the website, I believe it has to do with the web server, but since it only happens on my network, I can't say its not us. The webserver is hosted in our VMWare which its also part of our network. All devices and webservers are in the same Academic Network. We don't manage the webserver itself, only the ESXi, and our server guy is gone.  I have contacted the webserver contractor and he says nothing is wrong with it.  Can someone please tell me where to look for, what to do, if you need more information? I am the only Network administrator here with no help.

[paul driver]

Hello

FYI a web server does have maximum connection value but I’m not sot sure what that would be and it any case you say external to your network connection to this webserver is okay and reachable 

So If all these internal connections go through a fw that then you could look at the possibility that your maxing out on your FW license user limit, but this will drop all access not just towards a webserver.

I get the impression this is a relativity new issue?

[dariely_ann]

It is not a new issue, we've been having it for almost a year. The problem I'm having is that sometimes everything works perfectly, and sometimes like today, some people can't login. I only do the network part (switches, routers, WIFI) and the other person barely know servers.

We are using a FirePower 8120 as a firewall, but I don't think is that. (I already purchased an ASA, but haven't had time to configure it).

[balaji.bandi]

Couple of things you can check in the problem described. before you go in to Servers.

1. all the time you able to reach the web server, can you keep ping next 24hours do you see packet loss.

2. how many devices in the path to reach this web server.

3. do you see any device have some abnormal logs for the network utilization.

4. when you browsing that site using any browser press F12 it will give you why it taking long time to load.

5. once you have all the information and think no network issue.

6. check Server load CPU / RAM / HDD any abnormal ?

7. check event logger any clue.

8. check the web servers long, IIS or Apache

if esxi check how is the vswitch or dswitch configured how it connected, check that port utilization,

check any other servers hosted in the same esxi having any issue ?

by now you might have enough information and can come to conclusion where to fix the issue.

still you can ask any help required based on the information input.

[dariely_ann]

Thank you, I'll check all the logs and try to look into the VMWare devices (I think I can navigate through). I'll post any findings.

[erwindebrouwer]

Hi Dariely,

Maybe we should start with the basics here... can you confirm that when a student can not login to the student website, is the student (or device) able to reach the serverfarm/webserver at all?

[dariely_ann]

Yes, the device (iPad) can reach the webserver. When the student enters the credentials, it doesn't even get an error message, just blinks and the username word turns red.  (By the way, the issue already fixed itself and it will be good until the next class starts.)