Networks Windows 2003 Server nightmare, help!

Howdy all.

I am setting up a Windows 2003 server at my new work office and need a little help. I am setting it up as a domain controller so people can logon anywhere and their files and other user profiles will move as they change PCs etc etc the normal thing for 2003 server to do. Now I have set the domain named as mars.a51net.com, and since its only going to be internal as in noone will login from outside then It wont be DNS'd to the net, for now anyway.

So the problem is no computer can 'see' the domain. The computers can ping the server, all of them can. They are still in the older workgroup style. The issue is that the server itself cannot see the computers, in NetNeigh it can, but not ping?

Firewall is off for now while I attempt to work this one out.

Any ideas? Cheers all,

bg

 

you still need to be running DNS on the server and have it set as your clients DNS server before they will be able to resolve the name properly and join the domain.

 

the clients are currently getting the DNS from the router, which is dishing IP's out etc. If that is changed on the client, will they still be able to access directly to the router? Or is this where is gets complex and the server shares out the internet connection and becomes the DHCP server, since the clients no longer 'see' the router.

Cheers for the help bud, networking is rusty as I havent used my server in about a year...

bg

 

your best bet would be to add the servers IP to the list of DNS servers given out by the router, but you could chnage it manually on each PC it's up to you.

As long as they have a DNS server and a default gateway (which will be the routers IP ) then they'll connect tothe internet just fine

 

yep thats the best way, alter the DHCP settings on the router to give the domain controller as the primary dns server and setup dns on the server

 

Ah. It may be the easiest but without the router password, it's a little harder... Isnt there benfits from making the server the only way to the internet? Eg filtering, port blocking? It means firewall access doesnt have to be altered on each PC? Im just interested cos I dont want to make more work for me, but if the server controlled the internet through shareing then it would make it a little easier...

cheers,

bg

 

this has probaly already been said but,

the domain a51net.com already exists so you clients ask a remote dns server where your server is, but they have no idea, and thats what the server tells your clients.

to get around the problem you need to either redo the AD DNS name, to something like a51net.local and set your clients to have your server listed as a dns server

or you could setup on your routers dhcp server to give out your servers ip as the dns server(not your isp), and on your server you need to setup dns forwarders (in the dhcp config, just right click on server name , click prop..) to point to your isp dns's servers
after doing this your clients will *always* look on you server for dns requests, if your server dosent know about the domain , it will forward it to your isp.

 

Without knowing your router password your left with 2 options,

1 Reset your router and reconfigure it so you do know your password!! then disable DHCP and set it up from SBS

2 Use static IP address's on all your clients so you can set the DNS servers as requied.

running 2 DHCP servers on one network is a very bad idea!! personally I'd go with option 1 as then at least you'll be able to check the staus of your router and make any other port forwarding changes etc you need. (that and staic IP addressing is just a head ache when ever you need to change anything/ setup anything new