How to resolve “Unable to initialize communication with the Passport server. (Error Code: 80048883)”?

This error message is coming up because the default app pool user does not have permission to initiate the msidcrl40.dll file which called by the IdCrlWrapper.dll

This is an issue which almost all Microsoft CRM Technical consultants will face while trying to communicate to the Microsoft CRM Server from custom developed code in ASP.Net using Microsoft CRM SDK with passport authentication. The situation will arise when you try to move the code from the Development Box to the Production Server.

To resolve this issue you have to follow the steps below:

Solution

Step 1
Make a change in the web.config file. Add the following line

 <identity impersonate=”true” userName=”[LOCAL ADMINISTRATOR USERNAME]” password=”[ADMIN PASSWORD]” />

You can also use a service account like mscrmsrv. In that case your web.config file entry will be as follows:

mscrmsrv” password=”[mscrmsrv PASSWORD]” />

If you are not sure where to add the above line then in that case you can open the IIS Manager. Right click on the website (the one which you are using for your MSCRM Custom App). Click on Properties. It will open the properties window. Click on the ASP.NET tab. Now click on the Edit Configuration button. It will open the ASP.NET Configuration Settings window. Now from this window click on the Application tab. In the application tab under Identity Settings click on Local impersonation. Now put the username and the password. Once you save it will post the entry in the web.config file.

Step 2

Now which ever account you are using for the local impersonation make sure that you now login to the server with the same account and then restart the IIS using IISRESET command. Once done try to run the application. It will not throw the error “Unable to initialize communication with the Passport server”.

 If you reset the IIS from a different logged in user then this problem will showup once again.

You can also find my posts in Microsoft forums.
http://social.microsoft.com/Forums/en-US/crmdevelopment/thread/1ecd316b-34f2-4747-a56d-b0310eb4471a

If you think the above solution has worked for you then you can vote me in :).

Cheers!!!