Newb Setup (Internet Connection) Question

[BoulderBum]

I just installed a Win2K3 test server at home that I want to use to play around with SharePoint.

At first it worked nicely and could connect to the internet no problem, but after making it a Domain Control, DHCP and DNS server and assigning it pretty much every server role, it can't connect to the internet now.

I'm sure this is something easy (related to DNS?) but I've never tinkered with any of this before and don't know what I'm doing.

Can someone tell me how I can get the Server to connect back to the internet?

 

[NewNetworkAdmin]

BoulderBum,

You need to determine where the problem lies. It could be that you have no Internet connection, your DNS isn't working or something else.

Open a command window and try to ping 64.233.183.147 (one of the IP addresses for

http://www.google.com).

ping 64.233.183.147

If you get a response then your Internet connection is up. If not then you'll need to determine if there's a firewall or something blocking the traffic.

If the above ping works try pinging

http://www.google.com

ping www.google.com

. If DNS is working you should see it get the IP address and attempt to ping it. If you get a response then DNS is working.

If DNS is working then it is probably either a problem with a firewall blocking Internet traffic (not very helpful!!) or a problem with your web browser.

Post back what you find above and we can go from there.

Andy

 

[dotobi]

Since you've made it a Domain Controller, DHCP, etc... have you tried re-running the 'Connect to the Internet' Wizard? (This should sort it out)

It's in 'Server Managment > To do list'.

Hope this helps

 

[BoulderBum]

Thanks guys!

I'll have to check into these suggestions when I get home.

 

[jshurst]

Also make sure that you aren't running two DHCP's (like one on your router and one for the DC).

 

[BoulderBum]

That is the case. My router handles DHCP and I need to have it that way most of the time because this server is just a development box that runs occasionally.

Will it hurt to unassign my server the DHCP role? Can it still act as the DC?

I know these are dumb questions. Sorry for that. My experience has been interacting with networks, not setting them up.

 

[jshurst]

Yes, I did that too when I set mine up. Remove the DHCP role. It can still act as the DC. Just make sure to assign your DC a static ip address so that the router won't hand it a different ip address (also skip that ip address on the range in your router so you won't get a conflict). That way your other computers will know where to go. Also, if you don't have a need to join the domain with your other computers then don't. You can still access the resources (well, many of them) without being a member of the domain (especially for wireless connections - it's a pain to sign in every time if you don't need to).

Dude, these aren't dumb questions, I'm not a network guy either, it's just a hobby ;-) It's just cool that everyone helps each other out.

 

[BoulderBum]

Thanks for all your help, guys! It's very gracious of you.

I'm a little further along, but not really. I removed my computer from the DHCP role, but I determined that leaving my server up as the DNS server also screwed things up (and I guess I need it to be a DNS server to use Active Directory).

I tried reserving a static IP address on my router for my server using its MAC address (I may have done it wrong?), but when I tried to set the server to use that IP address it loses internet connectivity.

I also tried to set up the server to forward DNS requests to my ISP, Comcast (68.87.96.3 & 4) but I must have done it wrong.

The only way I can reconnect to the internet is to disable the DNS role, then set the internet connection to obtain an IP adress and DNS info automatically.

Is there a very basic tutorial or something someone knows of to get me past this point?

 

[jshurst]

Here is how I've got my ip address setup. Local Area Connection 2 Properties ->Internet Protocol (TCP/IP) ->Properties then I set the information (I left the DNS information blank). The ip address I'm giving my server is 192.168.1.100. Then on my router I start the addresses at 192.168.1.101. This probably isn't the best way to do it, but it works for me.

As far as setting up DNS hopefully someone else can help you out, because I don't know much about that. I can use AD, but don't really rememeber how I configured DNS. I do know that I configured both Forward and Reverse zones though.

 

[NewNetworkAdmin]

Your DC does not have to be the DNS server for the network. It can be any PC or your router might even be able to do it. Having said that, the DC can be the DNS server if you want it to be...it can also be the DHCP server too!! Its all up to you. For network connectivity you need this...

1 Device as a DHCP server
1 Device as a DNS server
As many devices as you want as clients

So, it sounds a good plan to set up your DC as all of these as you'll get experience of how to do this. Firstly you should set the Internal address of your router. We'll assume that your network addresses are in the format 192.168.1.x. Your router should be 192.168.1.1. It doesn't actually matter what it is but this follows convention. The router's internal adress will be static and never change.

Next you will need to disable DNS and DHCP on the router.

Now, go to the DC and give it the static address 192.168.1.2. and change the setting for the DNS server address to 192.168.1.2.

Set up DHCP so that it will assign addresses from 192.168.1.3 up to 192.168.1.254 and set it to assign the DNS addresses automatically.

Now set up DNS on the DC. You will need to set up forwarders within DNS so that any request for an address that is not within your network e.g.

http://www.goole.com

is forwarded to your ISP. Set the forwarder address(es) to your ISP's DNS Server(s).

Now you can go to all your clients and simnply set them to get their IP address and DNS information automatically.

To ensure all PCs can access the Internet you should be able to set the Connection settings within your web browser to automatically detect settings. This should work for all clients as well as your DC.

Andy