Server 2003 PC and XP client dont like each other !

Essendon

I have a small test lab ( 1 2003 enterprise server and 1 XP pro client )

I have the two hooked up through a DLINK router. The problem is that the server cannot ping the xp machine either by name or IP address. The xp client can ping the server using the server's IP address. But the xp client cannot ping the server with the hostname.

I have enabled icmp echo replies/requests on the xp machine. My server does not have the windows firewall. Does the server have some other kinda firewall?

The server can access the internet through the xp client.

ipconfig on the server :
IP address : 192.168.0.101
mask: 255.255.255.0
def gateway : 192.168.0.1

ipconfig on the client :
IP address : 192.168.0.100
mask : 255.255.255.0
def gateway : 192.168.0.1

When I open up the GUI on the router, both computer's names appear on the Dynamic DHCP Client List, alongwith with hostnames and IP and MAC addresses.

And also, if this helps in troubleshooting, the XP client is unable to join the domain. I know that for a computer to able to locate a DC, it should point to the DC. But my DC and XP client are set to obtain IP and DNS server addresses from the DLINK router, logically there shouldnt be a problem.

I am feeling a bit dumb here, but I guess that you fall and learn !!

SOS : PLEASE HELP !!

Essendon

I knew some of you guys would ask for any firewalls on the xp client. I turned off Norton Internet Security and also restarted the 'Server' service. Now the server can ping the client. So, to check I turned the firewall back on. The server can still ping the client. Guess it might have been the 'Server' service ???

I tried to join the client to the domain, but get the error - domain controller cannot be contacted.??

Essendon

I still cannot the two machines with their respective hostnames..

dynamik

You need to set your DNS on your client machine to point to your DC (assuming it is running DNS). That's the only way a client can locate a DC. You will need to setup forwarders in DNS (on your DC) in order to have it use your ISP's DNS servers to resolve internet queries.

Essendon

dynamik, in order for the server to able to access the internet, I configured to obtain Ip and DNS addresses from the router. Since the server and the client get their DNS server addresses from the router, arent they being pointed the right way? Or as I said that the router's address is 192.168.0.1, I should put this address as the DNS server address on the server and the client? Seems obvious to me, although may not be correct...

royal

You NEED to have the DNS pointed to the DC with DNS so the client knows how to resolve the domain it is being joined to. Besides, as long as your DC can access the internet, the client will resolve DNS through the DC's forwarder or root hints or both so your clients will still have internet.

kenny504

You need to configure your client with the DNS Server address of 192.168.1.101.

Which is the address of your server. That way it can contact the Domain controller. This is the way clients find Domain controllers and the only way you can join the xp client to the domain is if the address of your DC is configured in your Client DNS settings.

If it is ensure that DNS is set up correctly. Look for a host record in your DNS Server for the xp client. Your ping should work if it is set up like this(Correctly)

Also your server should be statically addressed. Also Make its DNS address itself. 127.0.0.1 and all name resolution queries should go to this server and automatically be forwarded. Configuring Forwarding is not absolutely neccessary. It should use root hints by default.

Essendon

royal, I feel like a hopeless idiot, but I did not fully understand your post. As I said, the server and client both connect to the internet using s router as the def gateway with IP : 192.168.0.1. So, both computers obtain IP and DNS server addresses from the router. In essence, the router is the DNS with IP address again 192.168.0.1. Now what I garner from your and dynamik' posts is, the client needs to have 192.168.0.1 as the DNS server address ?? Please get me out of this rut....

Essendon

kenny, do you mean that I should configure the router to have a static IP address for the server?

kenny504

No the router does not need to have a static address for the server. Manually configure the ip address settings on the servs nic connected to the router.

Essendon

kenny, I have manually configured the server to have the IP address of 192.168.0.101 . Also, I have configured the XP client to use 192.168.0.101 (the server's IP address). Also, what DNS server address does the server need? I have left that blank, and the internet still works on the server.

Essendon

Woohoo, the client has now become part of the domain..!!! Hats off to kenny, royal and dynamik for their invaluable posts.

Just the one more thing, when I try to connect to the server from the client, it asks for a username and password. I suppose that's the admin password for the server ?? Anyways, no matter what I type in the username field, little boxes come up instead of alphabets...now what the hell is this??