Celestial Software

I just installed this software and I'm already having problems connecting to the host. I get a message that says "connect failed Winsock error: Remote". Can someone tell me what I'm doing wrong?

Tayba

[ October 21, 2002, 11:47 AM: Message edited by: Brian T. Pence ]

As always, more details are needed. Please indicate if you are connecting to a UNIX/Windows remote host and which protocol (Telnet and/or SSH). Also, AbsoluteTelnet is used to connect to a remote host, not the nost running AbsoluteTelnet.
Please include this information someone will probably be able to help you solve the problems.

Hey!!

I think that's been the first time someone's beaten me to the punch on an answer!! Mattias is certainly right that more information is needed. Specifically, the error message "connect failed Winsock error: Remote" seems incomplete.

Winsock errors on connection usually mean that either your hostname is incorrect or the host is not accessible via your network. It can also mean that the protocol you are attempting (telnet, ssh1, ssh2) is not supported by your host.

I am trying to telnet from a Win95 machine to a LINUX based server. I can ping/tracert to both the IP and DNS addresses with no problems, but I've tried about 10 different telnet clients and get error messages. The message I posted above is all that popped up in the message box on my screen. :(

Tayba

BTW, if you need it, the IP is 213.84.21.64 port 5555. DNS is lost.wishes.net with the same port. It is a MUD and requires users to telnet in.

Tayba

[ October 22, 2002, 12:45 AM: Message edited by: Tayba RavenSoul ]

Tayba,
I am able to connect from a Linux-box (nice pumpkin) and from AbsoluteTelnet 2.00 RC44 without any problems. Do you have any firewall or something that could prevent you from connecting?

BTW: the DNS seems to be broken, I get a timeout when entering the name of the host.

Tayba,
what happens when you enter the IP-address directly? Since the DNS doesn't seems to be up and running (link.locasoft.com seems to be broken) things get a bit complicated. I suggest you try these steps:
1) Connect via the IP address suggested below
2) Check for any firewall (on the Win95 box or somewhere between you and the remote server).
3) Check the telnet-daemon on the MUD server (i.e. /etc/hosts.allow and /etc/hosts.deny)

It sure rocks for me from here, running Windows2000 and directly from a Linux or DOS shell.

Good luck!
/msa

Originally posted by Brian T. Pence:
Hey!!

I think that's been the first time someone's beaten me to the punch on an answer!!
Brian,
I thought you needed all the time you would get to complete the 2.00 release and get it through the door... I know we are many people waiting out here for it!!! :) :)

Keep up the good work!
/msa

I think it might be something in my NIC. I don't have any firewalls or anything here, yet. And, I have been trying to connect through the IP address, and up until about two months ago, everything was fine. I can also connect from anywhere else but MY computer (IE: my parent's house across town.)

I also had an admin check the permissions directory for me (I'm not a high enough coder on there to view it), and my IP and ISP aren't banned.

Anyone have any suggestions?

Tayba

Originally posted by Tayba RavenSoul:
I think it might be something in my NIC. I don't have any firewalls or anything here, yet. ... I can also connect from anywhere else but MY computer (IE: my parent's house across town.)
Tayba,
I am running low on ideas here, but so far it sure sounds like there are some kind of firewalls in place at the ISP. As you pointed out, you are able to connect from your parent's house and so on. Two things to try:
1) Use a portscanner at your place, (for example SuperScan http://www.freedownloadscenter.com/Network_and_Internet/Network_Information_To ols/SuperScan.html) and see what ports are open.
2) Try to move the MUD server to another well-known port (for example 23, the standard telnet port) and see if it work.

I have experienced problems on several occations where ISP:s or hotels have installed firewalls preventing "suspicious" traffic on other ports that the well-known. Until you have enough information to hand over to them, they will stone-face and deny everything...

Good luck!
/msa

At least to ensure that it is not a problem with AbsoluteTelnet, you should try to connect using the (yuck) Windows telnet program.

If that *works*, we can drill down from there. If not, then your problem is surely somewhere in your hardware or network configuration.

I've been researching this further. The error message defined in the app is indeed incomplete. You're getting Winsock error #10071 (WSAEREMOTE) and the full text of the message *should* be "Item is not available locally".

However, this error message is poorly documented and I'm having trouble finding out under what conditions it may occur. It certainly is not a common one. Unless I miss my guess, I'm assuming you're having trouble with other applications as well?

Researching further, it seems this error is related to NFS connections and shouldn't *ever* occur in normal TCP/IP connections (such as telnet, ssh, etc). It does, however, pop up every now and then in articles I've been reading. Most people attribute it to some software you have installed that might be messing with winsock (personal firewall perhaps), and at least one person attributed it to a screwed up routing table. Both of these problems would exibit themselves in other telnet apps as well.

Keep us updated!!!

It was only doing it with that one MUD, not any of the others (same as with all my other telnet apps). Then it just fixed itself the other night. Tuesday, I couldn't connect, then Wednesday I could.

Lots of other people that mud there are having the same problems. Can connect one day, can't the next, can't connect for a few months, then can connect again. I'm thinking it has something to do with the server as it's different people all the time. Even the owner's wife had problems for a while, and she was connecting from the other room.

Thanks for all your help guys, I really appreciate it!

Tayba

It definitely is a server issue then. Not much can be done at the client end, unfortunately.

Glad to hear that problem is partially solved at last. Seems like WinSOCK could be a tricky beast to handle...
We are using NFS quite heavily with Microsoft's "Services from UNIX" installed and we see some random problems that we are never able to pin-point... (as always :D )