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Q184798: SSL: Connections May Fail Using Online Requested Certificates

Article: Q184798
Product(s): Internet Information Server
Version(s): WINNT:1.0,4.0
Operating System(s): 
Keyword(s): 
Last Modified: 28-JUN-2001

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The information in this article applies to:

- Microsoft Internet Information Server 4.0 
- Microsoft Certificate Server version 1.0 
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SYMPTOMS
========

When you try to connect using Secure Sockets Layer (SSL) to an Internet
Information Server version 4.0 (IIS) that has a server certificate from an
online Microsoft Certificate Server, you may receive the following error
message:

  Internet Explorer cannot open the Internet site <address>
  A connection with the server could not be established.

CAUSE
=====

When you perform an online request, the certificate returned by Certificate
Server is not bound with an IP address or port number. As a result, IIS does not
use this certificate for incoming SSL connections.

WORKAROUND
==========

When you get the certificate back from the online request, a dialog box appears
in Key Manager. Click Add, and then click OK. The certificate is now bound to
all unassigned IP addresses and port numbers.

MORE INFORMATION
================

NOTE: The above steps are not required if the certificate is requested from a
well-known certificate authority, such as VeriSign, or when you are requesting a
certificate from Certificate Server through the file-based mechanism (that is,
not an online request).

IIS 4.0 ships with a tool named Key Manager, Keyring.exe, to request and process
server certificates. One of the options is to request a certificate from an
online Microsoft Certificate Server. Online indicates that Certificate Server is
running on the same computer as IIS, and the request is made without using a
text-based approach.

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Keywords          :  
Technology        : kbiisSearch kbiis400 kbCertServSearch kbZNotKeyword3 kbCertServ100
Version           : WINNT:1.0,4.0
Issue type        : kbprb
Solution Type     : kbpending

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