OT: Web server 2003 - XP issues

[Ned_Flanders]

Hi, Slightly off topic but here goes. I have a web based SCADA application running web server 2003 which can be remotely controlled (Via the internet if you want). The application runs through internet explorer.

I have one remote pc (Windows 2000) and want to add another, via the existing router. If I connect my old laptop (Win 2000) and give it a static ip address, it works fine but if I connect the new XP computer instead, it does not display all the visualisations correctly and stops communicating after a minute with "Server communication" errors. I think it may be caused by Windows firewall (Switched off). I have allowed the activex controls and set security to "Low"

Any ideas where to start looking?

 

[Ken Roach]

Describe where these two or three computers are located; on the local network, or on the other side of a router ? Are any of them connecting over the Internet ?

I presume you're running ordinary IIS on the Windows Server 2003 computer. I would make sure you know the Service Pack or Release for the Windows Server computer, as well as the Service Packs and the Internet Explorer revisions on the clients.

My first guess is that one of the static IP addresses is conflicting with the low range of addresses assigned by a DHCP server somewhere in the mix.

The other questions include: What is the HMI software ? Are the visualizations that don't appear correctly always the same ones ?

My first step would be to install Wireshark on the new XP box and monitor the IP traffic to see if there are messages being refused, or just a bunch of retries and failures.

 

[Ned_Flanders]

Describe where these two or three computers are located; on the local network, or on the other side of a router ? Are any of them connecting over the Internet ?

I presume you're running ordinary IIS on the Windows Server 2003 computer. I would make sure you know the Service Pack or Release for the Windows Server computer, as well as the Service Packs and the Internet Explorer revisions on the clients.

My first guess is that one of the static IP addresses is conflicting with the low range of addresses assigned by a DHCP server somewhere in the mix.

The other questions include: What is the HMI software ? Are the visualizations that don't appear correctly always the same ones ?

I'll try!
The server is running a two lots of software on itself. One is a german web visualisation package called webfactory and the other is a batching program. The system is running a Siemens S7 system, via opc server.
Nothing is connected to the internet. The server has 2 network cards and 2 static ip addresses (131 and 133). i am unsure which service pack the Server is but the "Windows 2000" client is IE6. This has a static Ip address of 135.The client is connected to the router.
The XP computer I have is IE6 xpsp2.

If I add my old laptop and give it an ip address of 137 it works correctly. when you connect, you enter the server name and password. All pages display correctly and all functions are available.

If I connect with the XP computer, setting the ip adderss at 137 after disconnecting my laptop, the pages will not display fully (The backgrounds are correct but the "Variables" like tank levels and text boxes only display intermittantly.

If I open the "View Networks" and hit TC/IP properties, there is plenty of recieved data!

The system is designed to be operated by more than one client - I am not asking it to do the impossible.

 

[todster]

On the server, right click on my computer and then select properties. It will tell you the service pack there, the same way you do it for XP. The service pack on the web server probably won't have much to do with any issues you are seeing. These mostly only included security patches for IIS.
You're using the same IP to connect both computers.
Any cookies cached may confuse the server. Some content is meant to be delivered once, cached, then updated as it changes. Seeing as how you are using 2 different computers with the same IP, it might not know this. The webserver doesn't see the mac.
Sometimes the website requires a client active X control be loaded to display the content and possibly it isn't installed on the new one. It's also possible it requires java or Chrome. XP-SP1A and up does not have Java included. Test Java here http://javatester.org/enabled.html. Look for the W3C log files for the webserver. They are typically in the system32 folder in the windows folder. There is a folder for each site. The log will show all connections to the site and the status of requests, whether allowed or denied. The log will also show the os and browser as well as some add ons and capabilities. Compare the 2 machines. There is also an Http perf log that may show time out issues or dropped connections. The times in the log file will most likely be GMT.
http://www.webfactory-world.de/en/Support/FAQ/WEBfactory2006.aspx It's greek to me but it might be German to you.

 

[Ned_Flanders]

On the server, right click on my computer and then select properties. It will tell you the service pack there, the same way you do it for XP. The service pack on the web server probably won't have much to do with any issues you are seeing. These mostly only included security patches for IIS.
You're using the same IP to connect both computers.
Any cookies cached may confuse the server. Some content is meant to be delivered once, cached, then updated as it changes. Seeing as how you are using 2 different computers with the same IP, it might not know this. The webserver doesn't see the mac.
Sometimes the website requires a client active X control be loaded to display the content and possibly it isn't installed on the new one. It's also possible it requires java or Chrome. XP-SP1A and up does not have Java included. Test Java here http://javatester.org/enabled.html. Look for the W3C log files for the webserver. They are typically in the system32 folder in the windows folder. There is a folder for each site. The log will show all connections to the site and the status of requests, whether allowed or denied. The log will also show the os and browser as well as some add ons and capabilities. Compare the 2 machines. There is also an Http perf log that may show time out issues or dropped connections. The times in the log file will most likely be GMT.
http://www.webfactory-world.de/en/Support/FAQ/WEBfactory2006.aspx It's greek to me but it might be German to you.

I dont use the same address at the same time. i used the ip address to prove it worked.

I think I may have to go to "Webfactory" for the solution, as I get an SFA3 error on the screen and this file is a webfactory file.

Annoyingly, sometimes it works - displaying everything correctly - and sometimes it doesnt!

I translated the support files - but they were Greek to me to!!!

 

[Ned_Flanders]

Solution to the issue

I have the solution today! Because Windows XP is better protected from outside interferance the DCOM settings had to be altered to permit the client pc to display the visualisations correctly. I got the answer from the manufacturer of the package. easy when you know how!