Fixing Issues with Network Location Detection

Updated: November 18, 2009

Applies To: Windows Server 2008 R2

DirectAccess clients determine whether they are directly attached to the intranet using a local area network (LAN) or wireless LAN (WLAN) connection whenever there is a change in network state. To detect the intranet, DirectAccess clients attempt to access a Secure Hypertext Transfer Protocol (HTTPS)-based uniform resource locator (URL) hosted by the network location server. This URL is configured in step 3 of the DirectAccess Setup Wizard and stored in the Computer Configuration\Policies\Administrative Templates\Network\Network Connection Status Indicator\Domain Location Determination URL setting of the Group Policy object for DirectAccess clients.

After a network state change and before network location detection is complete, the DirectAccess client has the DirectAccess-based rules in its effective Name Resolution Policy Table (NRPT). If network location detection determines that the DirectAccess client is on the intranet, the DirectAccess-based rules in the effective NRPT are removed. If network location detection determines that the DirectAccess client is on the Internet, the DirectAccess-based rules in the NRPT are not removed.

The most common issues that can occur with network location detection are the following: