Err Msg: Cannot Allocate a ROUTE for User Connected on COM...

• Microsoft Windows NT operating system version 3.1
• Microsoft Windows NT Advanced Server version 3.1

SYMPTOMS

When a Remote Access client calls a Windows NT Remote Access Server (RAS), the following error message appears:

   The remote access server cannot allocate a ROUTE for user connected on
   COM port [port #].

CAUSE

This error message appears in the error log if the Windows NT (or Windows NT Advanced Server) Remote Access Server is configured with TCP/IP but NBF has not been installed to prevent NetBEUI frames from getting onto the local area network (LAN). However, Remote Access Service for Windows NT requires that the NBF (NetBEUI) protocol is installed.

RESOLUTION

If you do not want to put any NBF NetBEUI frames on the remote LAN at all and only allow TCP/IP frames to get onto the wire, but still use NBF for RAS, then you can unbind NBF from the network card. This allows RAS users to still call in through RAS because the dataflow direction here is from the RAS NDIS driver to NBF. Unbinding RAS from the network card only prevents the flow of data from NBF down to the NDIS driver for the network card.

To unbind the Remote Access Service from the network card on the Remote Access Server, do the following:

1. In the Control Panel window, choose the Network icon.

2. Select Bindings.

3. In the Show Bindings For field, select Remote Access Server Service.

       NOTE: In the listbox below the all lines involving the "Remote Access
       Server Service" will appear.
   

4. Select the line:

   Remote Access Server Service -> Netbeui -> [Name of adapter] Adapter Driver -> [Name of adapter] Adapter

5. Choose the Disable button at the bottom of the dialog box and choose the OK button.

6. In the Network Settings dialog box, choose OK.

7. In the "You must shutdown and restart your computer so that the change you made will take effect" dialog box, choose the Now box or the Later box.