SocketException when calling WCF service from MVC on same server

Question

I have a Windows 2008 Server with IIS 7.5 and one IP. There are two Application under the root, /web and /service. /web is a MVC4 application, and /service is a WCF 4.0 service.

When I consume the service from MVC, I use the following code:

// Create the web request  
HttpWebRequest request = WebRequest.Create(TripServiceUrl + id) as HttpWebRequest;

// Get response  
using (HttpWebResponse response = request.GetResponse() as HttpWebResponse)
{
    // Get the response stream  
    StreamReader reader = new StreamReader(response.GetResponseStream());

    // Console application output  
    tripJson = reader.ReadToEnd();
}

I get the following SocketException:

[SocketException (0x274c): A connection attempt failed because the connected party did not properly respond after a period of time, or established connection failed because connected host has failed to respond 10.243.6.43:80]
System.Net.Sockets.Socket.DoConnect(EndPoint endPointSnapshot, SocketAddress socketAddress) +273
System.Net.ServicePoint.ConnectSocketInternal(Boolean connectFailure, Socket s4, Socket s6, Socket& socket, IPAddress& address, ConnectSocketState state, IAsyncResult asyncResult, Exception& exception) +584

However, I can see 10.243.6.43:80 (an internal address) from a browser on the server and successfully call the service. The IP is not publicly accessible.

What configuration should I have to do to make a self referential call like that work?

Why are you using a WebRequest to consume a WCF service instead of a strongly typed client proxy? — Darin Dimitrov
You could apply the same binding configuration on the client as you have on the server and use a strongly typed proxy to consume it and leave the serialization stuff to the infrastructure. Anyway, it's off-topic actually, it is not what is causing you issues in this case. — Darin Dimitrov
Is 10.243.6.43:80 browser accessible from the server itself? — Kenneth Ito

Greg Smalter Greg Smalter · Accepted Answer · 2012-04-25T19:57:37

It's probably a loopback problem (security issue). See http://support.microsoft.com/kb/896861.

To summarize:

In Registry Editor, locate and then click the following registry key: HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Control\Lsa Right-click Lsa, point to New, and then click DWORD Value. Type DisableLoopbackCheck, and then press ENTER. Right-click DisableLoopbackCheck, and then click Modify. In the Value data box, type 1, and then click OK.

Don't follow the step about DisableStrictNameChecking.

You'll also find a lot of reasons not to do this (you are, after all, disabling a security check), followed by a lot of people saying it's the only way to get SharePoint to work properly. In any event, it will help you determine if this is the problem.

SocketException when calling WCF service from MVC on same server

1 Answers