VPN Troubleshooting

Description

Errors when connecting to the SonicWall NetExtender VPN:

• The sever is not reachable.The server may be down or your Internet settings may be down.
• Disconnected, RAS has encountered an error.
• Service is not responding.

Error after connecting to the Sonic Wall NetExtender VPN:

"NetExtender has been disconnected for one of the following reasons:

• There was a break in the network connection.
• The connection was idle for longer than the configured idle timeout.
• Your user account was logged out of the SSL VPN portal."

Note: There may be errors not listed above.

Resolution/Troubleshooting 

Experiencing problems with installation or encounter error messages when trying to connect, try the following:

(Step 1): Rebooting the computer:

• You might have to reboot a couple times.
  • Try to connect again.

(Step 2): Removing the VPN saved profiles:

• Open the SonicWall NetExtender software.
• Click on the wrench icon on the bottom left corner two icons in.
  • Remove the profile(s) by selecting “remove all”.
    • If the "remove all" option is grayed out, close out of program; then right click the application icon on the computer and choose "Run as administrator" and try above steps to see if it changes anything
• Reboot the device and try to connect again.

Note: You will need to enter the domain and sever address below again.

Settings:
Server: vpn.gannon.edu
Username: (Your Gannon Network ID)
Password: (Your Gannon Network password)
Domain: gannon.edu

(Step 3): Checking the status of the "Remote Access Connection Manager":

• Go to the windows search bar
  • Type in "services".
    • Scroll down to "Remote Access Connection Manager".
    • Check to make sure it says that it is "running" and that it is set to "automatic".

(Step 4): Uninstalling/re-installing the SonicWall NetExtender:

Gannon-owned laptops: make sure to run Make Me Admin before the steps below. These instructions are only for Windows machines.

1.  Deleting network adapters: 
   • Open device manager
     • Go to start, run, and type in devmgmt.msc, click on Ok, or go through Manage Computer
   • Scroll down to network adapters and search for:
     • SonicWall NetExtender Adapter", "Wan Miniport (IP)" and Wan "Miniport (PPTP)"
       • Right-click and delete the adapters above (don't reboot yet). *For Gannon-owned devices you might need to right-click and select properties then go to the driver's tab to find the delete or uninstall option. Then enter your Gannon login when prompted.
2. Uninstalling for Windows:
   • Click the "Start button".
   • Type "Control Panel" in the search bar.
     • View By: Category
       • Click "Uninstall a Program".
     • View By: Small Icons or Large Icons
       • Click "Programs and Features".
   • Locate the Dell SonicWall NetExtender on the list
     • Select uninstall
3. ​​​​​​​Deleting SonicWall folder:​​​​​​​
   • ​​​​​​​​​​​​​​Open the file explorer Icon
   • Select "This PC", if not already selected
     • Click on the "Local Disk (C:)"
     • Click on the "Program Files X86" folder
       • Check to see if the folder SonicWall exist,
         • If found, delete it.
4. Reboot the Laptop

(Step 5): Re-installing NetExtender:

• Click here to check out our KB: 43994 for more information on the vpn installation or go to https://vpn.gannon.edu and download and install the different version of NetExtender client.
  • The click here at the top of the page has the most current version.
    • Try to connect again once installed.

*MacOS 10.12 (latest version) is not supported on our new firewall as Apple has removed support for RC4 ssl ciphers.

Trouble after connected:

Experience an error about a break in the network connection while connected to the VPN, it is usually indicates a problem with the internet that the device is connected to. ITS provides limited phone support when troubleshooting off-campus Internet connections, below are the troubleshooting questions.

Troubleshooting questions/steps:

• Where is your home router located in your home, is it sitting next to an adjacent exterior wall? If so you might want to consider moving to a more central location so you can get a more even coverage throughout the home.
• How far away are you from the router? Can you move closer or even hard wire in with an Ethernet cord to see if you can get a better connection?
• Is the router near a TV or microwave oven? These can cause interference with the connection on devices.
• How many people/devices are connected at the moment? Can you disconnect some to see if your connection improves?
• Have you tried to reboot your home network?
• Do you have a 5ghz network connection? Some home networks come with a 2.4 GHz and a 5 GHz connection. If you do you can try to connect to the 5ghz, so there is less interference.
• Lastly, have you contacted your provider to see if there is a problem on that end or something they can do to prove your situation.