Can’t Connect to My TimeClock Server

If you suddenly are unable to connect to your Virtual TimeClock Server computer, you may see an error message that looks something similar to this:

 

Failed to connect to your last used server. A server does not appear to be running on your network.

 

If your TimeClock Server computer is turned on and nothing else has changed, the reason for the sudden loss of communication may be a Windows update. Fortunately, the fix is relatively straightforward.

 

Windows Update & Connection Issues

Microsoft periodically pushes out updates to its Windows operating system. This often occurs on a Tuesday in North America, so this has unofficially become known as "Patch Tuesday."

 

Occasionally, a Microsoft system update will reset the firewall exception rules for Windows Defender. We suspect this is a security precaution. A consequence of the update resetting Windows Defender is that it will now prevent your Virtual TimeClock client computers from connecting to your Virtual TimeClock server computer.

 

The Solution for Windows Updates

The fix is to tell Windows Defender once again about Virtual TimeClock. You do this by creating a new inbound rule for the firewall in Windows Defender. We have easy-to-follow instructions for creating a new inbound rule for the firewall in Windows Defender.

 

Other Solutions

If your Windows Defender firewall settings are correct but you’re still encountering a connection error, confirm that the IP address on your Server Manager has not been changed. If it is not set to "static" it may have been assigned a new address. Learn more about setting a static IP for Windows or Mac.

 

If you are still having trouble, we have additional resources to help you troubleshoot Virtual TimeClock local client and remote client connections.

 

Do you have questions or need assistance with your Virtual TimeClock client connections? Contact us. We’re here to help!