Windows server 2012 R2 - 'The server is not available. Try connecting this computer again.'

Question

Hi, putting this out here for any help and guidance, common query but i cannot resolve.

We’re having a few problems connecting a new machine via the connection software.

I'm no IT expert but i do what i can, so bear with me.

Server - Fujitsu Primergy TX1310 M1

Windows server 2012 R2

Windows Server essential connector 6.3.9600.18378

I have connected a few new machines over the last 3 months, had a few niggles but managed to resolve all successfully until this latest machine.

Error – ‘The server is not available. Try connecting this computer again’

The machine establishes connection with the server as the pc name appears in dashboard, but after entering network credentials it hangs for a little while and then generates the error.

Steps taken:

• User/device removed from server and new set up
• Connection software uninstalled and re-installed
• Removal from domain to workgroup ready for reconnection
• DNS checked to pointing at the server (192.168.1.9)
• attempted connection with all antivirus/firewall disabled
• checked the machine time and server time syn (as seems to come up on server forums for this error) and all is ok
• successfully ping the server from the client machine
• stopped and renew ipconfig lease, flushed dns
• checked settings/dns against recent machines successfully connected and they match

Client machine – HP Prodesk 405G4 SFF, windows 10 Pro version 20H2

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Client IP config:

Windows IP Configuration

Host Name . . . . . . . . . . . . : ROS-HP2
Primary Dns Suffix . . . . . . . :
Node Type . . . . . . . . . . . . : Hybrid
IP Routing Enabled. . . . . . . . : No
WINS Proxy Enabled. . . . . . . . : No
DNS Suffix Search List. . . . . . : broadband

Ethernet adapter Ethernet:

Connection-specific DNS Suffix . : broadband
Description . . . . . . . . . . . : Realtek PCIe GbE Family Controller
Physical Address. . . . . . . . . : E8-D8-D1-C8-2A-FA
DHCP Enabled. . . . . . . . . . . : Yes
Autoconfiguration Enabled . . . . : Yes
IPv6 Address. . . . . . . . . . . : fd52:a81c:df85:1:65aa:cd7e:6526:5b4d(Preferred)
Temporary IPv6 Address. . . . . . : fd52:a81c:df85:1:d86:80c6:9196:c565(Preferred)
Link-local IPv6 Address . . . . . : fe80::65aa:cd7e:6526:5b4d%6(Preferred)
IPv4 Address. . . . . . . . . . . : 192.168.1.18(Preferred)
Subnet Mask . . . . . . . . . . . : 255.255.255.0
Lease Obtained. . . . . . . . . . : 19 November 2020 13:21:59
Lease Expires . . . . . . . . . . : 20 November 2020 13:21:59
Default Gateway . . . . . . . . . : 192.168.1.1
DHCP Server . . . . . . . . . . . : 192.168.1.1
DHCPv6 IAID . . . . . . . . . . . : 115923153
DHCPv6 Client DUID. . . . . . . . : 00-01-00-01-27-22-94-E3-E8-D8-D1-C8-2A-FA
DNS Servers . . . . . . . . . . . : fd52:a81c:df85:1:c017:6b2f:ce2c:f45c
192.168.1.9
NetBIOS over Tcpip. . . . . . . . : Enabled
Connection-specific DNS Suffix Search List :
broadband

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Server IP config

Windows IP Configuration

Host Name . . . . . . . . . . . . : KBAServer
Primary Dns Suffix . . . . . . . : KBADIRECT.local
Node Type . . . . . . . . . . . . : Hybrid
IP Routing Enabled. . . . . . . . : No
WINS Proxy Enabled. . . . . . . . : No
DNS Suffix Search List. . . . . . : KBADIRECT.local
broadband

Ethernet adapter Ethernet 2:

Connection-specific DNS Suffix . : broadband
Description . . . . . . . . . . . : Intel(R) I210 Gigabit Network Connection
Physical Address. . . . . . . . . : 90-1B-0E-6E-88-88
DHCP Enabled. . . . . . . . . . . : Yes
Autoconfiguration Enabled . . . . : Yes
IPv6 Address. . . . . . . . . . . : fd52:a81c:df85:1:c017:6b2f:ce2c:f45c(Pref
erred)
Link-local IPv6 Address . . . . . : fe80::c017:6b2f:ce2c:f45c%13(Preferred)
IPv4 Address. . . . . . . . . . . : 192.168.1.9(Preferred)
Subnet Mask . . . . . . . . . . . : 255.255.255.0
Lease Obtained. . . . . . . . . . : Wednesday, November 18, 2020 4:13:01 PM
Lease Expires . . . . . . . . . . : Friday, November 20, 2020 4:12:58 AM
Default Gateway . . . . . . . . . : 192.168.1.1
DHCP Server . . . . . . . . . . . : 192.168.1.1
DHCPv6 IAID . . . . . . . . . . . : 227547918
DHCPv6 Client DUID. . . . . . . . : 00-01-00-01-1E-AA-AE-88-90-1B-0E-92-88-97

DNS Servers . . . . . . . . . . . : ::1
127.0.0.1
NetBIOS over Tcpip. . . . . . . . : Enabled
Connection-specific DNS Suffix Search List :
broadband

Ethernet adapter Ethernet:

Media State . . . . . . . . . . . : Media disconnected
Connection-specific DNS Suffix . :
Description . . . . . . . . . . . : Intel(R) Ethernet Connection I217-LM
Physical Address. . . . . . . . . : 90-1B-0E-92-88-97
DHCP Enabled. . . . . . . . . . . : Yes
Autoconfiguration Enabled . . . . : Yes

Tunnel adapter isatap.broadband:

Media State . . . . . . . . . . . : Media disconnected
Connection-specific DNS Suffix . : broadband
Description . . . . . . . . . . . : Microsoft ISATAP Adapter
Physical Address. . . . . . . . . : 00-00-00-00-00-00-00-E0
DHCP Enabled. . . . . . . . . . . : No
Autoconfiguration Enabled . . . . : Yes

Tunnel adapter isatap.{072ED7DC-B5E0-40AC-A2A7-95E42CC9F9FB}:

Media State . . . . . . . . . . . : Media disconnected
Connection-specific DNS Suffix . :
Description . . . . . . . . . . . : Microsoft ISATAP Adapter #2
Physical Address. . . . . . . . . : 00-00-00-00-00-00-00-E0
DHCP Enabled. . . . . . . . . . . : No
Autoconfiguration Enabled . . . . : Yes

Answer 1

Hello @Phil Smith

The current Windows Server Essentials Connector is designed to be installed on Windows 7 Service Pack 1 (SP1), Windows 8, Windows 8.1, and Mac OS X 10.6 -10.8.

I would also suggest you take a look at this thread, hope it helps:

Connector software for Windows 10 Pro to Server Essentials 2012

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Best Regards
Karlie