Slow Client Login

[BigEd77]

I have a Windows 2003 Server network, and my 5 clients are having trouble logging into the network. When they login, the dialog "Applying personal settings" stays on for between 2-5 minutes.

Network Profile:
--We are not using roaming profiles. (Unless they are turned on by default.)
--I am using static IP addresses.
--DNS is not turned on.
--DHCP is not turned on.
--We are using a Webramp 310i for our internet gateway.(Long story, no broadband.)

I'm under the impression that not having DNS turned on could be causing the problem(s). Any ideas?

Thanks,

Ed Collins
bluebyte@comcast.net

 

[bcastner]

faq779-4017

 

[mlichstein]

I'm under the impression that not having DNS turned on could be causing the problem(s)"

Yes.

Active Directory requires DNS, and it was installed and configured during dcpromo. Your 2000 and higher clients need to be pointed to the DC for DNS.

 

[BigEd77]

Could you give me a little idea of what you mean by pointing the clients to the DC for DNS? My DNS for the internet is determined on the webramp. The clients are using the same DNS.

Now that I have the DNS turned on on the Sever, what do I have to do differently for the clients to recognize it, and still allow them to access the internet from the webramp.?

 

[mlichstein]

You need to modify the TCP/IP properties of the NICs on the workstations. They should be configured with the domain controller as their primary DNS server. Secondary should prefereably be left blank.

In order for your clients to continue to be able to surf the web while using the DC for DNS, you need to configure a forwarder on the DC.

Open the DNS console on the DC, right click on the server and go to properties. Click on the forwarders tab and add the IP address of your webramp device. Now all requests that are not in the DNS zone on the DC will be fowarded to the webramp. This will also clients to function normally on the domain (no slow logons, group policy working correctly, etc), and still browse the web.

 

[timsayles1]

Install DNS on your domain controller. Configure a forwarder on the DC DNS to point to your ISP DNS.

Reconfigure the IP's of the clients to point DNS to the DC.

I would recommend installing DCHP.

Tim

 

[BigEd77]

Thanks guys. I am planning on installing DHCP when I change webramps. (The DHCP on the Webramp is not working.) Or should I keep the static IP address on the webramp, and let the DHCP manage the IP addresses of the client computers? I'm changing the DNS settings, and setting up a forwarder as we speak. What should the gateway be? I've been using the IP of the Webramp, 192.168.1.1 - - Should I change it to the IP of the server?

 

[BigEd77]

Just finished setting up the forwarding, and setting one client's DNS to the server's. I used the webramps IP for the default gateway. I can get on the internet, and the login is FAASSSST!!! Thanks guys. You are life-savers.

 

[mlichstein]

Glad to help out

 

[Jenko1234]

something along the same line , i have 2 dns server (ad integrated) setup but when one server goes ofline the clients fail to use the secondary to resolve internal and external names ?