Server 2016 Essentials "Repair Anywhere Access" fails

Tony Paletti 5

Server 2016 Essentials "Repair Anywhere Access" fails, have been using *.remotewebaccess.com domain: "Your domain name cannot be resolved to the IP address for your server" and "Dynamic DNS cannot be updated."

1 answer

Karlie Weng 18,761 Reputation points Microsoft Vendor

2024-12-20T08:08:58.48+00:00

Hello,

Your dns server cannot convert your FQDN to ip address.

You can check the communication with your dns server (if you have set). If you are using a default dns server, try to change it to another one. (e.g. 8.8.8.8)

You can use this link as a reference to set your dns server:

https://www.lifewire.com/how-to-change-dns-servers-in-windows-2626242

Note: Since the websites are not hosted by Microsoft, the links may change without notice. Microsoft does not guarantee the accuracy of this information.

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Gordon Currie 1 Reputation point

2024-12-21T07:16:11.72+00:00

Ignore the poor quality answer you've gotten, it is uninformed and incorrect.

Apparently Karlie has never heard of Windows Server Essentials and Anywhere Access. The remotewebaccess.com domain (owned for 15 years by Microsoft) appears to be offline and all contacts have gone dark. Microsoft has been allowing this domain (which is critical to getting Anywhere Access to work) to die on the vine since 2020 or before. As it is offline, it will not issue a new or renewed certificate. No one knows if it will EVER return, but it has been months without any response from Microsoft, so it is likely gone for good (leaving anyone running Windows Server 2016 Essentials up the creek without a paddle - even though extended support is in force until Jan 2027).

You will probably be best served by using a custom domain - either Let's Encrypt (free) or a low cost cert - to get Anywhere Access working again.

Tony Paletti 5 Reputation points

2024-12-23T15:08:32.16+00:00

Thank you for your comment. I currently have a ticket in with Microsoft on this very issue. In fact, they just reached out to me this morning via email asking when I am available to troubleshoot the issue. I will let you know if/when they resolve this for me if they even can. Thanks again!

Tony Paletti 5 Reputation points

2024-12-23T16:24:27.2666667+00:00

Since my original comment, I have made some progress. I am no longer getting the original error messages, and in fact when I run Repair within Anywhere Access, is says it completed successfully. However, it is not renewing the GoDaddy Issued certificate and/or importing the certificate into the RD Gateway properly. The RD Gateway is currently using the internal server certificate, which only has the server host name in it, and not *.remotewebaccess.com. When users try to connect to *.remotewebaccess.com, they receive error: "Your computer can't connect to the remote computer because the Remote Desktop Gateway server address requested and the certificate subject name do not match." I just had a remote session with Microsoft Support, they said they would speak to their internal Certificate department and get back to me.
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Server 2016 Essentials "Repair Anywhere Access" fails

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