I can confirm this behaviour. At RC6 (server) I reset config to default, assign IPs, enable L2TP server and create secret:
0 name="test" service=any caller-id="" password="***" profile=default
local-address=192.168.10.200 remote-address=192.168.10.1 routes=""
limit-bytes-in=0 limit-bytes-out=0
At client (2.9.45) I created dial-out interface with proper user/password. After I enable it, it's try dial-out, at server is created dynamic interface l2tp0 with status "link established" but no uptime info. Server don't assign IP to client. Client shows "link established" without uptime info.
I captured communication between client and server and it's timeouts at 'PPP LCP Configuration Request' sent from client to server. Server don't respond to it.
I try the same with pptp protocol and it works ok.