Desktop VPN & static WINS settings

[majick]

We provide desktop VPN services through the Cisco 3030 platform. All DHCP allocations are handled by our 3030's and that includes IP, DNS and WINS. Since this is DHCP the addresses are dynamic and should not be statically assigned/fixed. However, we are finding a large number of hosts on our network that have static WINS settings, which have been allocated by our VPN solution (We run seperate WINS environments for VPN and our Internal network).

The VPN client we use right now is version 363b. This version actually statically configures the WINS settings into your local LAN adapter (winXP for example) and then removes the settings upon disconnect of your VPN session. This in comparison to the 4x client, which does not make the static setting, but uses true DHCP.

Our guess is that something erroneously causes the WINS settings to stay statically configured, but we've been unable to identify cause at this point. Has anyone witnessed anything like this?

Thanks,

Mike

[smahbub]

WINS Support

On Windows 95 and Windows 98, dynamic WINS support works with DHCP-enabled adapters (for example, PPP or NIC adapters that get their IP information dynamically). For static configurations, users must manually configure the adapters with WINS information.

http://www.cisco.com/univercd/cc/td/doc/product/vpn/client/3_6/365clnt.htm

[majick]

Turns out this is a documented bug. BUG ID - CSCdv65165

If the VPN Concentrator is configured to send WINS server addresses down to the client and the PC is shutdown or restarted without first disconnecting the client, the WINS servers are not removed from the network properties. This may cause local PC registration and name resolution problems while not connected with VPN.

Workaround:

1. Be sure to disconnect the VPN client defore shutting down.

2. If having problem, check your network properties and remove the WINS entries if they are not the correct ones for your network.

3. Alternately, enable "Disconnect VPN connection when logging off". Go to Options-> Windows Logon Properties, check Disconnect VPN connection when logging off.