Active Probing, MSN, and Smoothwall

[mitchell1981]

Hi All,

 

Trying to fix an annoying problem on our network. Seems to have started since we moved to Smoothwall as our web filter and firewall.

 

Every time a user logs in, Internet Explorer opens up, and goes straight to MSN.

 

Having done some research on this, when a user logs in, the computer determines if it is on the internet by going to: http://www.msftncsi.com/ncsi.txt

 

If it can't connect to it, it assumes you are behind some sort of portal so opens the default browser so you can log in. However, for us, the website above is not blocked and there is no portal. I think the problem is that Smoothwall is not authenticating the user quick enough so there is a short time where it can't access the site. Enough time for Windows to determine that is does not have a connection. This is backed up by the fact that there is an exclamation mark on the Network Icon that disappears after about 10 seconds following a logon.

 

One solution is to Change the Value of EnableActiveProbing to 0 in the registry, but this appears to break Windows Apps, as they assume they have no internet connection without even trying if Active Probing is disabled.

 

Anyone experiencing this delay before the machine determines it has internet access? Is it Smoothwall related?

 

Thanks.

[denzal2k4]

Same issue, not ideal that MSN has stupid news stories that then distract the students aswell.

[TechMonkey]

Not experiencing it on our site. Are you actively blocking the ncsi.txt?

[yasir152]

Ive had a similar issue at my site and had to set registry key EnableActiveProbing to 0 but this seems to cause issues with Wnidows Apps including the Store as they don't think they have an internet connection. Users have to end up opening a web browser first and then open the App so it knows that there is an internet connection.

[yasir152]

Looks like this issue is resolved in Creators update