Connection to server times out

[suremnguy]

I have Windows XP machines connecting logging into a Windows 2003 Domain.

I have a couple issues that I think are related.

1. It takes a long time to login to the domain (5 minutes or so). We are not running any scripts when they login.

2. If the user leaves the computer idle they are disconnected from the server. They can still use the internet but are unable to access the file server or print.

3. Certain files, it appears to be larger ones, are not opening. When trying to open these files we get the error "Word failed reading from this file please restore the network connection..."

Thanks

 

[pagy]

Sounds like a DNS problem. Assuming your domain controllers are running DNS then your clients should be pointing to the DCs as their preferred DNS server.

Paul
MCSE 2003
MCSA 2003
MCITP Enterprise Administrator

If there are no stupid questions, then what kind of questions do stupid people ask? Do they get smart just in time to ask questions?
Scott Adams

 

[suremnguy]

We run DNS through our DSL modem. Do we need to switch to the server. Is there a setting on our modem that we can change?

Thanks

 

[Davetoo]

Turn on and configure DNS on your DC and point all your clients to the DC for DNS through the DHCP scope. In the DNS config on your server, have the forwarders point to your ISP's DNS or to openDNS, your choice.

I'm Certifiable, not cert-ified.
It just means my answers are from experience, not a book.

There are no more PDC's! There are DC's with FSMO roles!

 

[jbarelds]

Unless you configured your clients with the IP address of the DSL router as a secondary DNS server I don't think the problem is DNS related. If you only configured the DSL router as a DNS server on the clients, or as the primary DNS server, your clients wouldn't even be able to log on the the domain as the SRV records for your domain controllers are probably not mentioned in the DNS table on your DSL router.

Best way (in my opinion) is to configure your clients with DC's holding the DNS role as the primary and secondary DNS server, and configure a forewarder in your DNS server for all other domains pointing to the DNS server of your ISP.

Back to the problem...
You might want to check the time on your clients and DC's, are they being synchronized properly? By default Kerberos will accept a maximum time difference of 5 minutes (I think) before it'll get nasty about accepting authentication. Don't know if this applies to your case though, but can't think of anything else.

 

[suremnguy]

We use the DSL router for DNS. People are able log in to the domain.

However this error is popping up in the logs for the local machines. Particularly when they are logging off or logging in.

"No Domain Controller is available for domain DOMAINNAME due to the following:
There are currently no logon servers available to service the logon request. .
Make sure that the computer is connected to the network and try again.
If the problem persists, please contact your domain administrator."

However after they log in they are able to print and access files.

 

[jbarelds]

Did you recently change your DNS topology, or the DNS server entry in the leases your DHCP server serves?

If so, it seems your clients are unable to locate the DC's, and are logging on using cached credentials, which are probably valid on the file/printserver ACL's.

You must provide your clients with a DNS server that holds the SRV records for your DC's, otherwise clients will not be able to locate your DC's.

 

[Davetoo]

You need to follow the instructions I provided to you in my previous post to resolve the clear DNS problem that you have.

I'm Certifiable, not cert-ified.
It just means my answers are from experience, not a book.

There are no more PDC's! There are DC's with FSMO roles!

 

[suremnguy]

I don't have the access required to make the changes you have suggested. I will work on trying to get that done.

Thanks

 

[pagy]

Yep get that done, that should remove most of your problems. If anything else is still not right after doing that then post back and we'll try to help out.

Paul
MCSE 2003
MCSA 2003
MCITP Enterprise Administrator

If there are no stupid questions, then what kind of questions do stupid people ask? Do they get smart just in time to ask questions?
Scott Adams