Can't connect to Domain

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G

Guest

Hello,

I have setup a test network that is NOT connected to the Internet. I'm
brand new at setting up servers and networks. I have 3 computers on this
test network, a server running Windows Server 2003 SP2 (with a domain
controller, file server, DNS server, and print server) a Windows XP client
and a Windows Vista client. I can connect the Windows XP client to my test
domain with no problems but not the Vista client. I get a valid IP address
on the Vista client that is consistent with the DHCP server I have setup.
When I try adding the Vista client to the domain it tells me that the client
cannot resolve the DNS name. So, something is not setup right on my Vista
client to allow it to see my test server, but what??? I took the same Vista
client and connected it to the school's network just fine. Any ideas?

Thanks
 
Rich, what version of Vista are you using? Domain networks are not supported
in Vista Home Basic.

Thanks,
Gloria
 
Gloria,

The test network is setup at a community college and I believe we have
Business Edition on a volume license agreement. As I said in my previous
post I was able to connect the Vista client to our main domain just fine but
not to my test domain on the test network.

Thanks,
Rich
 
Hello,

I did some more work with the server and Vista client but did not get very
far. I know it is not the server because Windows XP works and all the server
functions (DHCP, File Server, etc) work in Windows XP. I can get to the
server in Vista by manually typing its UNC (\\servername) but I can't see the
Windows XP computer or join the domain because of the error that the client
could not resolve the DNS name then it tells me to make sure the client can
resolve DNS names on the server.

Thanks,
Rich
 
Here's some things to check:
1. on the Vista client
a. click Start, Control Panel, Network and Sharing Center
b. click "Manage network connections" in the left (Tasks) pane
c. right click on the Local Area Connection, select Properties
d. select "Internet Protocol Version 4 (TCP/IPv4)", click Properties
e. on the General tab
i. select the "Use the following DNS server addresses:"
ii. key the IP address of the domain controller
f. click Advanced:
g. on the DNS tab
i. in the "DNS suffix for this connection:" key the qualified name of
the Domain as specified on the Domain Controller (usually
DomainName.ForestName)
ii. on the DNS tab, make sure there is a check mark in both "Register
this connection's address in DNS" and "Use this connection's DNS suffix in
DNS registration"
h. on the WINS tab, select the radio button "Enable NetBIOS over TCP/IP"

2. The nslookup command is handy for checking DNS things (available in all
Windows versions). For example, key the command
nslookup DomainName.ForestName
on the Vista client should return the IP address of the domain controller.
Regardless, it will tell you the IP address of the DNS server the Vista
client is configured to use, which has to be the IP address of the Domain
Controller.

3. Check the edition of Vista:
a. click Start
b. right click Computer
c. select Properties

However, if you get the join to domain dialog at all, you must have an
edition that can join a domain.

I'm not an expert on DHCP servers per se, but if you are using the DHCP
service in Windows Server 2003, you should be able to configure it to push
all of the settings from item1 above and the Vista client should use those
settings if the default TCP/IP v4 settings are in use. I know that on the
network in the office this works just fine and Vista clients can join the
work domain with no problem. In the network I have at home, the "router"
has a primitive DHCP server and it can not be configured to push all of
those settings (don't want to anyway!). Since having multiple DHCP servers
on a single LAN can be problematic, I have chosen not to install the DHCP
service on the domain controller; it is not always turned on and we have
some computers that are not domain members. Making the settings from item
1. above enables Vista clients to join the domain.

It is a bit surprising that you don't have the same issues with Windows XP
in your test network. If I don't do the equivalent on my XP clients at
home, I inevitably have problems of one kind or another. Have you looked in
the System and Application logs on the XP computers to see if some "domain
things" are reporting problems?

Note: not completely sure why, but in the office, the check mark in "Use
this connection's DNS suffix in DNS registration" is not needed, but it is
in my home network.

--
Bruce Sanderson MVP Printing
http://members.shaw.ca/bsanders

It is perfectly useless to know the right answer to the wrong question.
 
Bruce,

Thank you for your reply. I followed your steps below AFTER I gave the
Vista client a temporary static IP address and told it where to get the DNS
info. After doing that and following your steps I was able to connect to the
domain. I then went back and made it so everything gets picked up
automatically. Now I can see the XP client from Vista and vice versa and
both clients see the server. Thanks so much.

Rich
 
Thank you very much Bruce,

Me also have same problem but now I can join a domain.

Thank you very much!!
 
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