[rdesktop-users] Rdesktop stops working and blocks desktop..

[Lars W. <fr...@lw...>]

Hello,

I have a problem with rdesktop running on Debian linux systems. First
thing to do was checking for already reported bugs of this kind but all
I could find are rather old and didn't provide any solution. So I ask here..

I used:
- rdesktop 1.7.1 as provided by debian
- rdesktop 1.8.1
to connect to a Windows 2008 R2 Standard server.
The connection is established through an IPSec-Tunnel or as an
alternative through a PPTP-Tunnel.

In all cases the tunnel works fine, pings go through and new
RDP-Sessions work fine.

Several times a day the connection just stops to work, usually during
idle time when nobody uses the open session.
In this case nothing is reported, rdesktop just stops accepting input or
updating the screen. Still all input goes to rdesktop though, so the
underlying system is unusable.
Switching to a console and killing rdesktop is a possible solution.
Opening a new session right after that works fine.

I think this is caused by network errors. What I could find out by using
a virtual machine for rdesktop:
- adding packet loss and badly ordered packages makes the session sluggy
but it is still functional.
- removing the network cable for a few seconds and putting it in doesn't
stop the session, it is still functional.
- removing the cable for more seconds, like 30 or so, breaks the session
with the described symptoms. rdesktop just sits there, grabbing all
input but as it seems without updating screen or otherwise acting on it.

Should rdesktop react on failing communication with the server by
exiting? That's what I expected. Even better would be if it reconnects.
Is it by design that this does NOT happen or is this intended but fails
in my case?

Do you have any other ideas on this? Do you need more input?

I did everything I could imagine. My next step would be to take a closer
look at the source trying to hack in some kind of communication check.
But I still hope that there is something else I could do..

It is intended to use rdesktop on roundabout 15 remote systems on
different locations running a linux system from an usb flash drive using
a customized Debian Live system to connect to a central server.

Thank you very much for any input!

Kind regards,

Lars W.