How to setup a local domain on a home network

  • Thread starter Thread starter fu manchu
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fu manchu

My home network works fine set up as a workgroup with my Linksys
internet router providing DHCP, but to test some software, I need to
have a local domain. I managed to set one up as 'home.com' but it
takes a long time to load windows and I get lots of error messages in
my event log from the ISP DNS. I'm sure someone out there is not happy
with me.

Is there a fast and dirty solution to this, like maybe calling it
'home.local' or some such? All I want is a simple domain for my two
home computers behind my internet connection, nothing fancy.
 
In order to have a domain you must first have a domain controller. This is
a Windows Server 2000 or 2003 computer (though in a pinch you can use a
Windows NT Server, it just won't be as easy to maintain) that is
specifically configured to serve as a domain controller. Without one you
cannot create a domain.
 
Yes, I followed the steps on World of Windows Networking
http://www.wown.com/ and got the Windows 2000 Server set up for Active
Directory and created a domain, no problem, named 'home.com'. But it
takes awhile to boot and I get lots of nasty error messages from my
ISP in the Event log.

The problem is that I want this to be strictly local. I don't want to
bug anyone else with my little test domain (but I still want to keep
my internet DSL connection on).
 
Most Active Directory issues end up being DNS. Start there. Also most of the
error messages you get are almost always found using Google or Microsoft
Knowledge base.
 
Before you dcpromo your server to a domain controller you must have it point only to
itself by it's static IP address that you assign to it and NEVER have an ISP dns
server listed in the list of preferred dns server for any domain computer or a
computer you want to join to the domain. See the link below on how to configure dns
for an AD domain. Always use first netdiag and then dcdiag to check the health and
configuration of a domain controller when you experience problems. --- Steve

http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;en-us;291382
http://www.jsiinc.com/subh/tip3900/rh3968.htm
 
In item fu manchu says...
Yes, I followed the steps on World of Windows Networking
http://www.wown.com/ and got the Windows 2000 Server set up for Active
Directory and created a domain, no problem, named 'home.com'. But it
takes awhile to boot and I get lots of nasty error messages from my
ISP in the Event log.

The problem is that I want this to be strictly local. I don't want to
bug anyone else with my little test domain (but I still want to keep
my internet DSL connection on).
Click to expand...

You absolutely need to use a name that has not been registered. The name
home.com is a registered internet name. Use something like home.family or
home.local.

--
Regards,

Michael Holzemer
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I see that Michael and Steven have replied since you gave us this added
information, so all I'll say is that you need to heed to the advice they've
given. Your DNS settings for resolving names within the domain are clearly
wrong, and until you address those issues you won't have a lot of success
getting your network to work correctly.

You should NOT be resolving names using your ISP. Instead, your AD DNS
should be set as the authoritative source for all name resolution and it
should in turn be using external references to resolve any names it cannot
resolve.
 
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