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Constant Disconnecting

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Thomas Inman, User (Posts: 4)
Sep 06, 2020 6:50:39 pm EDT
Support level: Free or trial
Same behavior as previous posters have noted.  I am using the trial version to connect to other machines on my LAN, as well as machines on a separate remote LAN (no VPN).  Using the latest version on all machines.

I can RDP into other machines on my LAN without using Remote Utilities, including one that is shown as 'offline' or 'logged on'.  To clarify, I am most interested in connecting to other machines via RDP using Remote Utilities, not the Full Control Option which is too laggy and has the same behavior of "connection lost".  I have tried using Direct Connect as well as Internet-ID Connection.  The results appear to be the same - cannot access remote machine.  From the Viewer, I am able to access 'Remote Settings', but still no remote access via Full Control or RDP, yet, I can access the machine in question using RDP without using Remote Utilities.

So, I'm at a loss to figure out what in the heck is going on.  Each day I open Remote Utilities and never know whether it is going to work or fail as it is now.  If this issue has a known solution, please post it somewhere.  I've searched the entire site and documentation and only found this one thread.  I hate to call Remote Utilities 'unreliable', but I can't think of any other way to describe it at this point during the trial period.  

I've read previous posts recommending users submit their log.  Is that what you need to figure out why this isn't working?

Thanks

PS. I should add that over the last few years, I have used  [censored] , Splashtop, Zoho Assist, and rarely if ever had any such problems connecting, which makes this issue with Remote Utilities that much more puzzling.
Edited:Thomas Inman - Sep 06, 2020 7:08:11 pm EDT
MaxBlitzer, User (Posts: 68)
Sep 06, 2020 8:17:48 pm EDT

Thomas Inman wrote:

Same behavior as previous posters have noted.  I am using the trial version to connect to other machines on my LAN, as well as machines on a separate remote LAN (no VPN).  Using the latest version on all machines.

I can RDP into other machines on my LAN without using Remote Utilities, including one that is shown as 'offline' or 'logged on'.  To clarify, I am most interested in connecting to other machines via RDP using Remote Utilities, not the Full Control Option which is too laggy and has the same behavior of "connection lost".  I have tried using Direct Connect as well as Internet-ID Connection.  The results appear to be the same - cannot access remote machine.  From the Viewer, I am able to access 'Remote Settings', but still no remote access via Full Control or RDP, yet, I can access the machine in question using RDP without using Remote Utilities.

So, I'm at a loss to figure out what in the heck is going on.  Each day I open Remote Utilities and never know whether it is going to work or fail as it is now.  If this issue has a known solution, please post it somewhere.  I've searched the entire site and documentation and only found this one thread.  I hate to call Remote Utilities 'unreliable', but I can't think of any other way to describe it at this point during the trial period.  

I've read previous posts recommending users submit their log.  Is that what you need to figure out why this isn't working?

Thanks

PS. I should add that over the last few years, I have used  [censored] , Splashtop, Zoho Assist, and rarely if ever had any such problems connecting, which makes this issue with Remote Utilities that much more puzzling.

For the remote machines, my understanding is that you still need to setup port forwards for RDP if they are not on public IP's. They don't use RDP protocol over the RUT port. Afaik, the benefit is basically as an address book, but doesn't do NAT hole punching, so you still need to set up all that as if you weren't using RUT.

However, that should work on your LAN, and your hosts don't appear to show online, so that implies your hosts are not talking to RUT servers. Direct connections will always show offline (unless you're actively connected to it). But using the Internet ID and hosts are really online should show that.

So check the hosts are running RUT. If it is, the next issue could be a firewall blocking RUT connections.

You're not wrong that the online/offline status and version info is poorly implemented. I thought they said they were going to improve that, but their updates have slowed considerably in the last year or two compared to before, I think to work on Linux, Android and apple compatibility.
Pauline, Support (Posts: 2872)
Sep 07, 2020 3:43:59 pm EDT
Hello Thomas,

Thank you for your message.

I can RDP into other machines on my LAN without using Remote Utilities, including one that is shown as 'offline' or 'logged on'. To clarify, I am most interested in connecting to other machines via RDP using Remote Utilities, not the Full Control Option which is too laggy and has the same behavior of "connection lost".

Could you please clarify if I'm right I'm assuming that you use the Direct connection method via the Host's external IP address? If this is the case, then just like Max mentioned above, the connection might be displayed as "Offline" because the online status is checked automatically only for Internet-ID connections and not for direct connections by default. In order to turn on automatic online status checks for direct connections, please try enabling the Check online status for direct connections checkbox in the Connection Properties -> Security tab.

I have tried using Direct Connect as well as Internet-ID Connection. The results appear to be the same - cannot access remote machine. From the Viewer, I am able to access 'Remote Settings', but still no remote access via Full Control or RDP, yet, I can access the machine in question using RDP without using Remote Utilities.

Could you please clarify if, in case of connecting using Direct connection, there is a port forwarding rule set up in the router settings on the Host side? This is required to be done in order to directly access a Host which is located behind a router over the Internet. For more information please see this page.
As for using Internet-ID connection, please try referring to this troubleshooting KB page first to see if any of the solutions help to resolve the issue.

I've read previous posts recommending users submit their log. Is that what you need to figure out why this isn't working?

Yes, providing the Host log files might be very helpful in identifying the issue or what might be causing it. Please feel free to send the Host log files to support@remoteutilities.com for examination.
The Host connection logs can be located in the following directory: C:\Program Files (x86)\Remote Utilities - Host\Logs\.

Looking forward to your reply.
Pauline, Support (Posts: 2872)
Sep 07, 2020 4:14:09 pm EDT
Hello Max,

Thank you for the provided input!

Afaik, the benefit is basically as an address book, but doesn't do NAT hole punching, so you still need to set up all that as if you weren't using RUT.

You are absolutely right as the RDP mode in Remote Utilities just launches the native Microsoft Remote Desktop Connection client from within Remote Utilities and connects to a remote computer using the RDP protocol itself.

You're not wrong that the online/offline status and version info is poorly implemented.

In addition please note that checking online status for direct connections is disabled by default in order to prevent network congestion. You can enable it in the Connection Properties window -> Security tab. For more information please see this page.
As for the version update - we already plan to improve the Host version check in our future updates. Unfortunately, we cannot provide a specific ETA on this yet.

Please let us know if you have more questions.
Greg Sullivan, User (Posts: 12)
Sep 08, 2020 10:08:23 am EDT
Support level: Starter
All (Polina, Conrad),

Once I updated hosts and viewer to v6.10.x.x. this problem was _virtually_ eliminated - though not completely.

HUGE IMPROVEMENT: I'm no longer seeing constant disconnections every few minutes.
BUT: I do sometimes get a disconnect once every few hours which is tolerable.

However I will share an observation that I shared in my post to this discussion on Mar 29, 2019:

Very often, the main RU window listing connections will show a pop-up saying the remote connection has disconnected.  However for up to 5 seconds, I can continue to fully interact with the remote system in the viewer, whether that's typing text, moving windows, clicking UI, etc. before the remote connection actually drops.

Once I reconnect to remote system, I can confirm the actions taken *after* RU reported the connection had dropped were indeed performed on the remote system.

To me this suggests it's not so much a case of the remote system has disconnected, but that something (other than the host or the viewer) has *decided* the remote system has disconnected.  This is undoubtedly an over simplification, but it seems to me the host & viewer would ideally be the final determinants of a dropped connection.

Greg
Edited:Greg Sullivan - Sep 08, 2020 10:14:36 am EDT
Pauline, Support (Posts: 2872)
Sep 08, 2020 11:16:56 am EDT
Hello Greg,

Thank you for the update on this.

Once I reconnect to remote system, I can confirm the actions taken *after* RU reported the connection had dropped were indeed performed on the remote system.
To me this suggests it's not so much a case of the remote system has disconnected, but that something (other than the host or the viewer) has *decided* the remote system has disconnected.

Unfortunately, we couldn't reproduce the issue. Could you please record a short video of the issue and send it to us to support@remoteutilities.com?

In addition, could you please clarify which exact version of Remote Utilities do you use? If it's the version 6.10.10.0 or an older version, then could you please try updating to the latest 6.12.2.0 (Beta 2) version and see if the issue with the disconnects persists? In the 6.12 Beta 2 release, we've implemented multiple bug fixes and improvements, so it's best to try updating first as the issue might have already been resolved in this update. The full list of Release notes is available on this page.
Version 6.12.2.0 (Beta 2) is available for the download on this page.
When updating Remote Utilities, please make sure to update both Host and Viewer (as well as the RU Server in case if you use it) as the version mismatch might lead to performance issues or some features not working.

Please let us know if the issue persists after updating to the 6.12.2.0 version.
Greg Sullivan, User (Posts: 12)
Sep 10, 2020 4:23:49 pm EDT
Support level: Starter
Hi Polina,

Host and viewer here are running the v6.10.10.0 release build - due to some other constraints I won't be able to try v6.12.2.0 for a little while.

I need to look at the best way to try to attempt to do a screen recording - because the issue now happens far less frequently, I could be running a screen recording for many hours waiting to catch it.

Greg

Greg
Pauline, Support (Posts: 2872)
Sep 10, 2020 4:33:38 pm EDT
Hello Greg,

Of course, please feel free to update us on the issue anytime.

In addition, you can also provide us Host log files along with the video for examination. Perhaps, there's something in the log files that might help to identify the problem.
Host logs files can be located in the following directory: C:\Program Files (x86)\Remote Utilities - Host\Logs\. You can send the log files and the video to support@remoteutilities.com.

Please let us know if you have more questions.
Gaz Denson, User (Posts: 26)
Jan 22, 2021 6:25:17 am EST
Support level: Starter
Replying to this thread as it describes exactly the issue we are having using RU Server.

In a nutshell:

Viewer is 6.10.10.0
RU Server is 2.7.9.0

Not sure how to check host versions remotely but I am not seeing the update alert triangle on any host PCs.

To get some background:

We have a number of PCs in the office on our internal network that I remote onto when the staff need something done and also we have remote workers who remote into there office PC from home (and again I remote connect to their home PC if they need an update or help etc..)

I am at the office.

I can connect to any of our office located PCs fine and they do not drop at all for hours and hours.

When connecting from home to office or office to home we get the issue others have described. Sometimes it will be fine for a good hour other times it will drop over and over being connected for anything from 1 min to 10 mins making work a real struggle for our WFH people.

Is this going to be a version issue?
If so how do I update the RU Server version? and does the server need to be rebooted as part of an update?

Or is this more likely an internet issue? (The office internet isnt amazing but it is stable enough that the managing director can use  [censored] connecting from home to the office totally fine with no dropouts whilst the rest of us on the RU Server are dropping the whole time)
If it is related to internet in some way, is there a way to make it hold the connection and wait for data rather than instantly drop the connection? A pause is better than having to login again.

Hope I have made myself clear and given enough info to make a start with.

Many thanks in advance
Pauline, Support (Posts: 2872)
Jan 22, 2021 9:13:39 am EST
Hello Gaz,

Thank you for your message.

Yes, in the described scenario updating Remote Utilities to the latest 6.12 Beta 4 version (2.9 Beta 4 version for the RU Server) might help to resolve the issue since we've implemented a number of features that improve the connection performance in our latest Beta releases. Namely, for the RU Server, we've improved Viewer-to-RUServer and Host-to-RUServer authentication by making it TLS 1.2 based instead of RSA, which makes authentication on the server significantly faster. In addition, we've improved the reconnection mechanism for cases when the connection is interrupted, so the reconnecting is automatic. A full list of Release Notes is available on this page.

Please try updating your Remote Utilities to the latest 6.12 Beta 4 version (2.9 Beta 4 version for the RU Server) to see if this helps to resolve the connectivity issue.
The latest 6.12 Beta 4 version is available for download on this page.
However, please note that when updating Remote Utilities, we highly recommend that you make sure to update both Host/Agent and Viewer (as well as the RU Server) to the same version in order to avoid the version mismatch that might lead to performance issues or some features not working.
In this case, you can see if updating helps to fix the issue and eliminate disconnect by updating Viewer, RU Server, and one of the remote Hosts where the issue occurs (i.e. that is located outside of your company network). If this works, then you can safely proceed with updating the rest of the remote Hosts.

If so how do I update the RU Server version? and does the server need to be rebooted as part of an update?

You can simply download the latest 2.9 Beta 4 version of the RU Server and run it on the same machine where you already have the previous version of RU Server. Yes, we recommend rebooting after updating in order for the changes to be applied.

Hope that helps.

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