Always On VPN Traffic Filters and IPv6

Always On VPN Windows Server RRAS Service Does Not Start

Using Traffic Filters with Always On VPN provides administrators the option to configure a true Zero Trust Network Access (ZTNA) solution for their field-based users and devices. By enabling traffic filtering, network access over the Always On VPN connection can be controlled using fine-grained policies. Traffic Filter rules can be configured to restrict access based source and destination IP addresses, protocols, and source and destination ports. Administrators can further restrict access based on the application generating the traffic.

IPv6

While testing these features recently, I learned that the Microsoft Endpoint Manager (formerly Intune) user interface does not appear to support IPv6 when configuring traffic filter rules. As you can see here, the UI explicitly asks for an IPv4 address and complains when entering an IPv6 address in the address field, as shown here.

Interestingly, it is possible to add IPv6 addresses in XML, as follows.

<TrafficFilter>
   <App>
      <Id>Microsoft.RemoteDesktop_8wekyb3d8bbwe</Id>
   </App>
   <Protocol>6</Protocol>
   <RemotePortRanges>3389</RemotePortRanges>
   <RemoteAddressRanges>2001:470:f109::/48</RemoteAddressRanges>
</TrafficFilter>

Connection Failure

Unfortunately, after loading the XML on a test client, the Always On VPN connection fails with the following error message.

“Can’t connect to <ConnectionName>. Catastrophic failure.”

In addition, the Application event log records an event ID 20227 from the RasClient source with the following error.

“The user <UserName> dialed a connection name <ConnectionName> which has failed. The error code returned on failure is -2147418113.”

Workaround

At this time, the only known workaround is to update the configuration on the RRAS server to use IPv4 addressing for VPN clients.

Summary

Unfortunately, IPv6 is still a second-class citizen when it comes to Always On VPN. Although enabling IPv6 works well in most common deployment scenarios, the Microsoft Endpoint Manager management console often fails to accept IPv6 entries in IP address fields. In addition, some advanced features such as traffic filtering are incompatible with IPv6.

Additional Information

Windows 10 Always On VPN and Zero Trust Network Access (ZTNA)

Windows 10 Always On VPN Windows Server RRAS Service Does Not Start

Always On VPN Windows Server RRAS Service Does Not Start

Always On VPN Windows Server RRAS Service Does Not StartAdministrators configuring a Windows Server Routing and Remote Access Service (RRAS) server to support Windows 10 Always On VPN connections may encounter an issue where the RemoteAccess service fails to start. Attempts to start the service might seem to work at first, but the service immediately stops again.

Troubleshooting

On the RRAS server, the Services management console (services.msc) or PowerShell Get-Service command shows the RemoteAccess service as being stopped. Attempts to start the service result in failure.

Always On VPN Windows Server RRAS Service Does Not Start

Event Log

Looking at the System event log on the RRAS server shows an error with event ID 7024 from the Service Control Manager source indicating “The Routing and Remote Access service terminated with the following service-specific error: A device attached to the system is not functioning.

Always On VPN Windows Server RRAS Service Does Not Start

Resolution

This issue is commonly caused when IPv6 is disabled on the server via the registry. To verify, open the registry editor on the RRAS server and navigate to the following location.

HKLM\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Services\Tcpip6\Parameters

If the DisabledComponents value is present and set to anything other than 0, set it to 0 or simply delete the DisabledComponents value completely and reboot the server.

Always On VPN Windows Server RRAS Service Does Not Start

The following PowerShell command can be used to remove the DisabledComponents value.

Remove-ItemProperty HKLM:\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Services\Tcpip6\Parameters -Name DisabledComponents

Additional Information

IPv6 Recommended Reading for Always On VPN and DirectAccess Administrators

Guidance for Configuring IPv6 in Windows for Advanced Users (Microsoft)

DirectAccess IP-HTTPS Not Working Properly in Windows Server 2019

After installing and configuring DirectAccess in Windows Server 2019 you may encounter an error message indicating that IP-HTTPS is not working properly. Looking at the Operations Status overview in the Dashboard of the Remote Access Management console shows that the IP-HTTPS interface is in error.

DirectAccess IP-HTTPS Not Working Properly in Windows Server 2019

IP-HTTPS Route Error

Viewing the detailed Operations Status shows the following error message.

Error: The IP-HTTPS route does not have published property enabled.

DirectAccess IP-HTTPS Not Working Properly in Windows Server 2019

Missing Route

Looking at the routing table on the DirectAccess server reveals that a route to the client IPv6 prefix is indeed missing.

DirectAccess IP-HTTPS Not Working Properly in Windows Server 2019

Resolution

To resolve this error message, add the client IPv6 route to the DirectAccess server’s routing table and publish it. This is accomplished by running the following PowerShell commands on the DirectAccess server.

$IPv6prefix = (Get-RemoteAccess).ClientIPv6Prefix
New-NetRoute -AddressFamily IPv6 -DestinationPrefix $IPv6prefix -InterfaceAlias “Microsoft IP-HTTPS Platform Interface” -Publish Yes

Next, restart the Remote Access Management service (RaMgmtSvc) using the following PowerShell command.

Restart-Service RaMgmtSvc -PassThru

DirectAccess IP-HTTPS Not Working Properly in Windows Server 2019

Once complete, refresh the management console and the IP-HTTPS error message should be resolved and the operations status should state that it is now working properly.

DirectAccess IP-HTTPS Not Working Properly in Windows Server 2019

 

Additional Information

SSL Certificate Conisderations for DirectAccess IP-HTTPS

DirectAccess Expire IP-HTTPS Certificate and Error 0x800b0101