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Q292296: "Cannot find server" or "DNS" Errors When Using SSL (Q & A)

Article: Q292296
Product(s): Internet Information Server
Version(s): 5.0
Operating System(s): 
Keyword(s): kbfaq
Last Modified: 16-APR-2002

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The information in this article applies to:

- Microsoft Internet Information Services version 5.0 
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SUMMARY
=======

The "Cannot find server" or "DNS error" browser error messages are symptoms of
several different problems. This article lists some of the more common reasons
this error may occur when the Web site is using Secure Sockets Layer (SSL) and
is therefore accessed by using https://.

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

- Was the Web server certificate part of an export or import process?

There is a known problem during the import process in which the wrong
cryptographic service provider (CSP) is chosen. You may also see an Schannel
Event ID: 36871 message. For additional information, click the article number
below to view the article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:

  Q261655 Cannot Make an SSL Connection After Exporting and Importing an Server
  Certificate

- Is the Web Server running Windows 2000, and has the Web server certificate
  recently renewed? The usual renewal process involves sending a renewal
  request to the Web server certificate issuer (that is, a Certificate
  Authority such as VeriSign, Netscape, or Microsoft.)

A fix has been developed that ensures that a standard PKCS10-formatted renewal
request is created. For more information, see the following Knowledge Base
article:

  Q262979 Cannot Renew Verisign Certificates in IIS 5.0

- Is the Sspifilt.dll file loaded on the IIS master properties ISAPI Filter
  tab?

If not, add the Sspifilt.dll name and the \Winnt\System32\Inetsrv\Sspifilt.dll
execution path to the IIS master properties ISAPI Filter tab.

- Were any changes made to the IIS computer or Web site while a certificate
  request was pending? (For example, a certificate request was generated and
  sent to VeriSign. Before the certificate was installed, a service pack was
  applied, the high encryption pack was installed, or the Web site bindings
  were changed.)

If so, you must generate a new certificate request. It is important that you do
not change anything while a certificate request is pending.

- Does the Web site have a secure identity?

To confirm this, follow these steps:

  1. Make sure that the Web site is bound to a secure port.

     a. From the Microsoft Management Console (MMC), right-click the Web site
        and click Properties.

     b. On the Web Site tab, note the IP address (this may be All Unassigned)
        and SSL port.

NOTE: If the SSL port is blank, type "443" (without the quotation marks) and
restart the IIS service. If the port is dimmed, a server certificate has not
been successfully installed. For more information, see the following Knowledge
Base article:

  Q228836 Installing a New Certificate with Certificate Wizard for Use in
  SSL/TLS

  2. Confirm that the Web site is correctly bound to the network card.

     a. From a command prompt, type "netstat -an" (without the quotation
        marks).

     b. If the Web site was bound to the All Unassigned IP address and SSL port
        443, verify that the Local Address entry is 0.0.0.0:443.

        If the Web site was bound to a specific IP address (for example,
        172.26.207.120) and SSL port 443, verify that the Local Address entry
        is IPaddress:443 (for example, 172.26.207.120:443).

Additional query words:

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Keywords          :  kbfaq
Technology        : kbiisSearch kbiis500
Version           : :5.0

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