Fail To Login via AFP: LDAP bind failed (error = [81]), trying to connect to alternative LDAP server

  • 7007983
  • 23-Feb-2011
  • 27-Apr-2012

Environment

Novell Open Enterprise Server 2 (OES 2)
Novell AFP
Novell nldap

Situation

While trying to connect to the OES AFP server, the following errors may be encountered:
 
On the MAC:
ERROR: Sorry, you entered and invalid username or password.
 
On the server:
ERROR: ldap_initconn: LDAP bind failed (error = [81]), trying to connect to alternative LDAP server
 

Resolution

Unload and reload nldap and check to see if ldap is listening on ports 389 and 636.
  • nldap -u
  • nldap -l
  • netstat -ant | grep -e 389 -e 636

Additional Information

A network trace will show the server trying to talk to itself over the loopback for ldap.  When nldap isn't properly loaded a packet will be sent from the loopback to the loopback and the response will be a RST (reset).  In a properly configured scenario, a series of packets will be exchanged over the loopback (possibly in the range of 10-20 packets or so) before name resolution will occur.  There will not be a RST.