PPTP server not listening on port 1723

[tenderchkn]

I am having a strange problem with the built-in PPTP server in Windows 8.1. Every time that the machine is started with a cold boot, I can't connect to the VPN. I run netstat -ano, and confirm that it is not listening on TCP port 1723. It is not listed at all, so it doesn't seem to be used by another app. RRAS is running, and restarting the service does not change anything. Additionally, the "Incoming Connections" in present in the adapters page, and all the settings are correct.

However, the issue is temporarily fixed by doing a restart. After a warm boot, the server is listening on port 1723, and I can connect to it with an outside client. This rules out all network and firewall issues on the server side, and all other issues on the client side.

From my testing, it seems that if the server machine is shut down, and started from a cold boot (even after just a couple of minutes), it never listens on port 1723. I have tried setting RRAS to delayed start without success. But so far, it always listens on port 1723 after a warm boot (restarting).

Does anyone have any ideas on why this is happening? Are there any diagnostic tools that I can use to pinpoint the problem? Thanks in advance for your suggestions!

 

[broe23]

What Firewall/Internet Security software are you using? What is the mfg & model of the router/gateway you are using?

 

[tenderchkn]

What Firewall/Internet Security software are you using? What is the mfg & model of the router/gateway you are using?

Aside from the built-in Windows Firewall, I have no firewall or Internet security software installed. The inbound rule for PPTP (port 1723) is allowed in Windows Firewall.

The router that the server machine is connected to is a ADB E4001N. The router is configured correctly, as it has been used successfully in the past with another server machine running Windows 7.

As I mentioned above, I don't believe that this is a firewall or router issue, because the server machine will listen on TCP port 1723 after a warm boot, and I can connect to it with an external client. If this was firewall or router related, I would not be able to connect at all.