Setup AD and DNS without DHCP

[no1biscuit]

I am trying to setup Windows 2003 Server in our office. The wizards are great if I want to use DHCP but that is not the case for me. Everything seems to install fine but I am having DNS issues (when I try to join the domain it cannot see it). So I was wondering if there was a good step by step instruction on how to setup a server without using the DHCP server option and using a domain name.local for the server?


Thanks in advance
Thom

 

[jcrapps]

If you don't want to use DHCP, then you just assigned the server and clients statically right? Are you able to ping the server from the client with hostname? Are all the machines on the same subnet?

 

[lowrad]

Make sure you have the same subnetmask and subnet, and try starting WINS so that you can resolv the NetBios name to IP addresses.

Can you connect if you write the IP address?

Patrik

 

[no1biscuit]

I have watchgaurd firewall that is handing out the DHCP. So I need the server just to be an active directory only.

 

[Marcs41]

Just make sure your WatchGuard has the DNS entry for the server, and gives that IP to the clients.
Another workaround is to insert the address in the hosts file on the PC's but that is ok if just for a few.

If you can ping it by IP but not by name, check the Firewall settings for DNS.

Marc
[sub]If 'something' 'somewhere' gives 'some' error, expect random guesses or no replies at all.
Free Tip: The F1 Key does NOT destroy your PC![/sub]

 

[GunnarD]

We have done that, be sure that your dhcp server is handing out right DNS servers (which is your AD/DNS), if you don't do this the you can't join the domain.

 

[porkchopexpress]

Take a look at the link below and as mentioned above make sure your workstations DNS points to your Windows server for name resolution.

http://support.microsoft.com/kb/323380

 

[porkchopexpress]

TBH i'd turn off DHCP on the firewall and allow windows DHCP to do it.

 

[no1biscuit]

Porkchopexpress, If I turn off the watchgaurds dhcp how will wireless clients get on the domain?


Thanks again for all of your help. You are awesome. I am going to try your all suggestions tomorrow. I will let you all know how it turns out.

 

[ntinlin]

No idea about the Watchguard but most decent routers have an item called BootP forwarder where you can hand off DHCP requests to another system.

Neill

 

[porkchopexpress]

Yes Bootp is an option. Is the watchguard box providing DHCP to VPN clients?

 

[no1biscuit]

yes it is a firewall, wireless, vpn.

 

[porkchopexpress]

You had better leave it for now then as i'm not sure with watchguard but usualy there would be an option for it to collect addreses from another server or just pass on the request.

So the key thing to check for now is that your DHCP is handing out the correct DNS settings so your clients use your windows DNS server for name resolution.

 

[no1biscuit]

porkchop,
I used the microsoft link you posted and set up my domain as it stated. But when I go to install active directory it give me this error. Any Ideas?



Diagnostic Failed
The registration diagnostic has been run 8 times.

Warning: Domain Controller functions like joining a domain, logging onto a domain, and Active Directory replication will not be available until the DNS infrastructure for Active Directory is correctly configured.

The wizard encountered an error while trying to determine if the DNS server with which this domain controller will register supports dynamic updates.

For more information, including steps to correct this problem, see Help.

Details
The primary DNS server tested was: adserver (192.168.1.11)

The zone was: peidomain.local

The test for dynamic DNS update support returned:
"DNS server failure."
(error code 0x0000232A RCODE_SERVER_FAILURE)

 

[porkchopexpress]

It might be worth uninstalling DNS and starting again. The link below is for a 2k server but the process up untill installing DNS is the same take a look at it and make sure your server is configured like this then install DNS.

http://www.petri.co.il/create_a_new_dns_server_for_ad.htm

after that take a look at this link

http://www.petri.co.il/install_and_configure_windows_2003_dns_server.htm

 

[no1biscuit]

Ok porkchop (or anyone that can help......),

I did the petri links and still a no go. I have however tried the setup again (100 time) and if I do an nslookup on the server for peidomain.local on the server it works great but if I do it on a workstation it says "can't find server name for 192.168.1.11"


Thanks again
Thom

 

[porkchopexpress]

If you type ipconfig /all on the server and on a workstation what do the IP configs show as.

 

[no1biscuit]

I have formatted again... But I am 99.9% sure it went like this

Workstation
192.168.1.101
255.255.255.0
192.168.1.1 (gateway, router address)
Dns
192.168.1.11
68.... (my primary dns from comcast)

Server
192.168.1.11
255.255.255.0
192.168.1.1

Dns
192.168.1.11
127.0.0.1



Thanks again. This should not be so hard.

 

[porkchopexpress]

Ok i'd get rid of the 127.0.0.1 address on the server to start with.

Also get rid of the 68.x comcast address from the workstation as well, if that's your ISP's DNS address then you should specify that as a forwarder on the DNS server.

 

[porkchopexpress]

Once you have done that run ipconfig /flushdns on the server and client then run NETDIAG on server and client you'll find it in the Support Tools or you can download it.

http://technet2.microsoft.com/windo...87ea-4f7a-9806-0b54e1c00a771033.mspx?mfr=true