Netextender failing to connect with error "Initializing engine…failed"

09/09/2024 12 People found this article helpful 36,341 Views

Description

This KB article describes how to resolve an issue with the Netextender when it fails to connect with the error "Initializing engine...failed"!

Reviewing Netextender Debug logs, you could see errors as below: (Please follow the article to download Netextender logs https://www.sonicwall.com/support/knowledge-base/how-to-get-logs-from-netextender-client/170504486969020)

2024/08/30 08:45:42, NetExtender Core: Proc-0x1564:Thr-0x565C: Try to create a new Adapter

2024/08/30 08:45:42, NetExtender Core: Proc-0x1564:Thr-0x565C: Create adapter failed: 183

2024/08/30 08:45:42, NetExtender Core: Proc-0x1564:Thr-0x565C: Status update: statCode = 0x70301, stepData = 0

2024/08/30 08:45:42, NetExtender Core: Proc-0x1564:Thr-0x565C: Error: Fail to initialize Tun-Interface

2024/08/30 08:45:42, NetExtender Core: Proc-0x1564:Thr-0x565C: Status update: statCode = 0x301, stepData = 0

NOTE: This article applies only to the Netextender installed on x86 PCs not ARM as Netextender is not supported on ARM platforms. Please read the release notes from mysonicwall.com for the list of supported platforms for the SonicWALL Netextender

Resolution

Uninstall the SonicWALL Netextender
Restart the PC, and open Device Manager
In the Device Manager, go to Network Adapters and find SonicWall NetExtender Adapter. If you find it, right click the item and select 'Uninstall'
If you cannot find it in the 'Device Manager', please open the command prompt(CMD) as Administrator.
Please run the command as below:

pnputil /enum-drivers
Find the Driver whose Original Name is 'wintun.inf'
Record its Published Name, such as 'oem<number>.inf'

In the above example:
Published name found for the Original name 'wintun.inf' is oem3.inf
Then run the below command:

pnputil /delete-driver oem<number>.inf /uninstall /force /reboot

Replace the oem<number>.inf with the Step 5 found Published name.

So the command to run now becomes (as per our example):

pnputil /delete-driver oem3.inf /uninstall /force /reboot
Install Netextender and Try again