SBS 2003 Companyweb. Cant access from PC's or WEB

[alderton]

Hi

I help look after a small network at a not for profit organisation in Australia. Ive just rebuilt our SBS 2003 server for use as companyweb only. We have a new server using Small Biz Essentials 2011.

My problem is that we are unable to access companyweb from pc's on the network or from the web. Weve looked at the firewall on the router and made sure that port 444 and port 80 are forwarded. Turned services off and on. Tried accessing it from internal PC's using the IP address with no success. Any suggestions? Thanks Peter

 

[ShackDaddy]

I don't think you can access it by IP, since the IIS website for CompanyWeb uses a hostheader. You can only access it by using the name: companyweb. You can see this by going into Properties on that website and then clicking Advanced on the Web Site tab. You will see which host headers are defined. If you are going to connect to the company web, the URL you use will HAVE to be defined there.

Your internal DNS needs to resolve "companyweb" to the IP of the old SBS server, and if you want to access it remotely, you need to add an additional hostheader to the IIS virtual website so that the publically used name can direct traffic to the Sharepoint site.

Dave Shackelford
ThirdTier.net
TrainSignal.com

 

[alderton]

Thanks Dave

Please excuse my lack of knowledge on this. I originally set up companyweb on this server when it was the only one and didnt have these types of issues.

I can see on the web site tab "companyweb". Ive added an identity

https://xxxxx.org.companyweb

but still no luck

The internal dns is resolved by the modem/router and I think it will only accept IP addresses.

I assume I'm way off the mark here so it would be great if you can lead me through the process.

Thanks for your help.
Peter

 

[ShackDaddy]

The "

https://xxxxx.org.companyweb"

identity won't work: it's not a valid address from anywhere. If you create a new A-record for that organization's public DNS zone that looks like "portal.xxxxx.org" and the put "portal.xxxxx.org" in as a host header, then that may work.
You can also put in the IP address as a host header, but the internal IP will be different than the external one. When you ping "companyweb" internally, does it come back with the IP of the SBS 2003 box? Also, you shouldn't be having the router handle DNS for the organization if you have an internal ActiveDirectory. I believe your SBS Essentials is a DC, and even though DHCP can be handled by the router, it should be giving the clients the Essentials server's IP for DNS. If you added the Essentials server as a new server in a new domain and not a migration, then the internal "companyweb" DNS A-record record will not be in the DNS, so you'd want to create that there on the Essentials server.

Dave Shackelford
ThirdTier.net
TrainSignal.com

 

[alderton]

Thanks Dave

Can you walk me through the process to add the A-Record?

My apologies, the server is handling DNS. Not the router. Duh!

I'm a bit over my head here and because its a not for profit org..I'm it!.

Could we communicate through PM's? That way I can give you the domain name and you can see for yourself what sort of error messages I am getting.

Thanks again for your help.

Peter

 

[ShackDaddy]

Peter, you can add me to your Skype by searching for my full name (David, not Dave) and adding the contact that lives in Olympia, WA. Since I've been helping so far, I'll help you get this sorted out fully.

Dave Shackelford
ThirdTier.net
TrainSignal.com

 

[alderton]

Great! Thanks. Our only problem is the time difference.

Peter

 

[alderton]

Dave

Since the server hasnt been used and has no real data on it, I might do a fresh install and see how that goes.

I'd rather not waste your time if the issue is something i did incorrectly on install.

I'll let you know how I go.

Thanks Gain for your help.

Peter