Unable to connect to WSUS 3.0 server from MMC Console

[Mr.Dean]

The server and the computer where the admin console (mmc) is installed are not on a domain. Each time I tried to connect to the wsus server I receive "Cannot connect to "server name or ip address". The server may be using another port or different secure sockets layer setting." I have tried it from multiple computers with the same result. I do have one computer that I am able to connect to wsus server but I can't get it to work on another computer.

Any ideas?

thanks

[Lindberg]

I have the same issue too but not able to find any help on this anywhere.

I have SelfSSL installed to IIS on the WSUS server. I did export/import the of the CA cert to my remote local system and tested that the SSL is fine by going to the sus server using https://sus.domain.com . The sus and my remote station has no firewall setup. I do see http & https being listened on the sus server using tcpview.

Please let me know if you need me anything else from me to troubleshoot this problem.

[Hockson]

WSUS Deployment Guide -- page 44.

Install the WSUS 3.0 Administration Console After installing WSUS 3.0 on a server, you can manage WSUS 3.0 from any computer on your network, as long as the domain of that computer has a trust relationship with the domain of the server.

[Lindberg]

is it not possible to access the WSUS server from a computer that is not joined or trusted by the domain of which WSUS is in?

[Hockson]

That's what it says!

There is a workaround for this. You need to have an identical user account/password on the WSUS server as on the computer where you trying to run the MMC remotely.

[troy]

try this:
start -> run -> \\<wsusservername>\c$ in popup window enter username <wsusservername>\administrator and his password check save password thats all :))
start wsus console and enter <wsusservername> and port.

[KEATON!]

this doesn't seem to be working for me. can you provide more details? I have created an account on the WSUS server that is the same as the account on the remote computer. i have also added that new account to the "WSUS Administrators" group. but, i keep getting the error:

cannot connect to <wsusserver>. the server may be using a different port or different secure sockets layer setting.

i definately am not using ssl. this is the most basic network without active directory or domains. all client computers are grabbing the updates fine using the original update url http://wsusserver/ (i upgraded from 2.0)

[Hockson]

Well, here's another critical component of the configuration -- since you're not using Active Directory or Domains.... how exactly are you providing DNS services to the resources inside your local network? If the workstation doesn't have the ability to resolve the hostname of your WSUS Server to an IP Address, you'll get the message you are seeing.

Run 'nslookup <wsusserver>' at a command prompt on the workstation, and post the results.

[Andrus K]

I run my console on the WSUS server. It worked fine untill this past week. Now I get the same message. I hope there is an easy fix by now

[181trv]

You don't need to have a matching account/password on the remote machine and an "official" trust relationship isn't necessary either. You need only authenticate a connection to the WSUS server using an account/password that's valid on the remote domain.

As one user posted previously (so I'm really just confirming the solution):

Start | Run | \\<name or ip address of WSUS server>\

in the pop-up authentication window:

USERNAME: <remote domain name>\<username>
PASSWORD: <valid password for username>

Now that you've authenticated a connection from your computer in one domain to the WSUS computer in the other domain you will be able to use the WSUS administrator console.

NOTE: if the password for the account on the remote domain changes, you will need to re-authenticate your connection to the remote domain using the same procedure listed here.

Happy times.