MyConsole Terminal Services client fails to connect over the Internet

The Terminal Services Web Client that is included in BackOffice Server 2000 and Small Business Server 2000 is unable to connect to the server by means of the Internet. The initial page loads after you log in, but the Terminal Services console window on the client computer remains blank even after you click Connect.

This problem can occur because of the manner in which the BackOffice Server/Small Business Server 2000 Terminal Services Web Client handles the name resolution process. The BackOffice Server/Small Business Server 2000 Terminal Services Web Client attempts to connect to the the server by the NetBIOS name of the server only. The Web Client does not attempt to locate the server by its fully qualified domain name (FQDN), for example, Servername.mydomain.com, or by its public Internet Protocol (IP) address, which is required to connect to the server by means of the Internet.

To work around this problem, use either of the following methods:

• Install the Remote Desktop Web Connection software on the server. Then, users can connect to the server over the Internet by using Internet Explorer and visiting the following Web address:
  http://Server IP address/TSWEB
  If the server is running Microsoft Internet and Security Acceleration (ISA) Server 2000, you may have to configure the Web listener and Web publishing rules for users to connect to the server by using Internet Explorer. To obtain the Remote Desktop Web Connection software, visit the following Microsoft Web site:
  http://www.microsoft.com/windowsxp/downloads/tools/rdwebconn.mspx (http://www.microsoft.com/windowsxp/downloads/tools/rdwebconn.mspx)
• Connect to the BackOffice Server/Small Business Server 2000-based server over the Internet using a virtual private network (VPN) connection. This action places the VPN client behind the Microsoft Internet Security and Acceleration (ISA) Server firewall on the local network which can enable the NetBIOS name resolution process to function properly through the VPN tunnel. After you have completed this action, the BackOffice Server/Small Business Server Terminal Services Web Client can be opened by means of Microsoft Internet Explorer on the client and the Web Client functions properly.
• Use the Win32 Terminal Server-based client to connect to the server by using either the FQDN or the IP address by means of the Internet. The Win32 Terminal Server-based client setup disks can be created from the BackOffice Server/Small Business Server 2000-based server if you click Start, point to Programs, point to Administrative Tools, and then click Terminal Services Client Creator. Then create the Win32 Terminal Server-based client disks which can install this client on the remote computer.

Microsoft has confirmed that this is a problem in the Microsoft products that are listed at the beginning of this article.

NetBIOS names cannot be resolved over the Internet because NetBIOS names are used strictly for local network resolution.

By means of any Terminal Services access mechanism, both upstream and downstream communications are protected by a 56-bit session key, by default. Users that are located in either the United States or Canada can select the High encryption option in the Terminal Services configuration, which increases the session key strength to a 128-bit key.