Forum Discussion
iis website problem after reinstall Windows 10, connection was reset
I posted this problem here back in July. Although I have made significant progress in some related issues this problem continues to be trouble. I have new, more detailed information so I am posting it again. Hope someone can help...
1. The problem:
My website is readily accessible over mobile data locally from my smartphone, and also from anywhere in the world according to these online resources: site24x7.com and uptimia.com
But I cannot connect to the website:
[i] using a Browser, directly from my home computer which hosts the website, or
[ii] using LocalHost or from any local device using my home wifi
The result message is...
This site can’t be reached
mickwebsite.com took too long to respond.
Try: Checking the connection
ERR_CONNECTION_TIMED_OUT
Details: Check your Internet connection
When I run the Browser with http://localhost it redirects to https, but gives the explanation "Your connection to this site is not secure" and "the connection was reset".
I did resolve the issue re: connecting directly from the host computer, by including the IP4 in the "hosts" file. However I think this does not fix the actual problem. I still cannot connect from a local device over wifi.
2. A bit of history:
This website had been running problem free for at least a few years with essentially this same setup. Then recently I had a technical problem with my computer that I was unable to solve. I arbitrarily decided to reinstall Windows 10 over the internet from Microsoft. I have had this problem with my website ever since 😞
3. My setup:
My website is https://mickwebsite.com I am running IIS on Windows 10 Pro 21H2 with minimum features implemented for a Static website, with support from No-IP, Certify The Web and Lets Encrypt. I have implemented SSL, and also implemented http -> https using URL Rewrite. Under Edit Site|Bindings|443 I have a current, valid certificate installed.
I have worked through all of the options in my Technicolor XB7 router and I believe that it is set up correctly. I have port forwarded 80 and 443. Unlike my previous model this router does not support Dynamic DNS so I am using No-ip's DUC for this service.
In Windows Defender Firewall I have set both IPV4 and IPV6 to default or medium security. I do not recall making any other Firewall changes.
I have reviewed my setup with each of No-IP, Certify The Web and Lets Encrypt with the appropriate support people.
4. What I have done so far:
First, I wanted to be certain that my IIS install and features choice were correct and have not been messed up somehow. I decided to renew my install of IIS using the minimum set of features for a static website. I followed these steps...
1. Remove all [both] websites, the default and my own, from inetmgr.
2. Delete the two web.config files and the inetpub folder.
3. Uninstall IIS using control panel "turn features off"; reboot computer.
4. Reinstall IIS adding in only the HTTP Redirection feature; rebooted computer.
5. The default web site did not reappear [probably because I had deleted inetpub] so I recreated it following instructions found on StackOverflow.
6. I installed the URL Rewrite feature as I had used it successfully for several years. The HTTP Redirection feature and HSTS are there if I may need them. I am not currently useing them.
7. Disabled static compression. Recommended by an MS Learn post; this is needed for URL Rewrite to function, a Known Issue.
8. Edited permissions for the website folder to ensure IUSR is there with Read permission only
9. Created binding for port 80.
10. SSL Settings feature: left Require SSL unchecked. Checked Accept for client certificates
11. URL Rewrite feature: set this up following a blog post
12. I tested the Default Website via Localhost:
This site cannot be reached
Your connection is not secure
13. Tested Default Website over mobile data: Success!
14. Checked http -> https over mobile data: Success!
So the problem exists for the Default website. I can connect over mobile data but not over wifi/localhost
I installed my website into inetmgr, setting up Features etc as above except created bindings for both ports 80 and 443. View shows the certificate is valid until 2023-01-11.
The results are the same as for the default website.
So the problem is not in my website code or setup 🙂
4. My question:
So it appears to me that the problem is not caused by any of my router setup which I thoroughly reviewed, or by my IIS setup which I thoroughly reset, or by my website code which behaves same as the default website. So I am wondering...
- what option, setting, etc in Windows 10 might be causing this problem behavior?
- What did reinstalling Windows 10 from Microsoft over the internet change?
- Or is it something else entirely?
Any help is appreciated,
Mick
2 Replies
- There is one error [that I know of 🙂 ] in my original post - the problem did not start with re-installing Windows. It actually started when my ISP replaced my Hitron modem with the XB7 a few or perhaps several months previously. I just did not notice as during that period I was not actively working on my website.
The Hitron was a better modem in a few ways. For example it was able to manage dynamic DNS updates. With the XB7 I am using No-IP's free, DUC service [Dynamin Update Client] to do this. It seems that the Hitron was also able to do the loopback port forwarding.
When I researched this I found many examples of higher tech users being "very annoyed" with their XB6s and XB7s, and especially with their ISPs for the way they made the change.