1. Background
Problem was reported in 2002 by the current Project Manager when working at a customer site on a project to install new PCs and connect to the Internet using a centrally maintained network and Internet service. The problem occurs from some sites when hosts wish to connect to the Internet using an Internet browser. The host is not able to connect to our proxy server and as a result ?times-out? giving a standard browser timeout message. In order to test the link was available, a ping test was initiated.
PING 10.x.x.200 ?t (Ping to the Firewall / Proxy)
PING 10.x.x.1 ?t (Ping to the internal gateway switch)
This lead to the discovery that the first few packets sent as part of the ping test were lost or dropped. After an indefinable and often variable number of pings a connection is made between the host and the firewall. All hosts on that same subnet can also then see the Internet and Internet browsers within the site then function. After a period of inactivity from a host using the Internet, the problem then re-appears and the process of PINGing is required to resurrect connectivity to the Internet again. Only a single host within the subnet is required to establish the connection for all hosts within the site.
This problem has continued unresolved and unreported until December 2003 / January 2004. It has been re-raised on the resolver.
The possible causes of the problem are:
1. Mis-configured Firewall / Proxy server
2. Mis-configured comms equipment within the Wide Area Network
3. Mis-configured comms equipment within the schools Local Area Network
4. Systems Integration issue between components on the WAN; Firewall / Proxy and Alcatel core switches
5. Systems Integration issue between components on the WAN; Alcatel core switches
6. A host operating system software issue
7. A problem associated with the BT links between aggregation points and gateway Internet connection
