Help with VMware 8 Networking

I just setup a home lab with WMware workstation 8 to get my hands on server 2008 and ESXi. I have the following setup

SERVER A
Running server 2008
2 NICs
nic1- Bridged and using DHCP, can communicate to the HOST PC
nic-2 Using VMnet2, using static IP address
IP 192.168.50.1
SM 255.255.255.0
GW 192.168.50.1

DNS

192.168.50.1

SERVER B. using WMnet2
Running server 2008
IP 192.168.50.2
SM 255.255.255.0
GW 192.168.50.1

DNS
192.168.50.1

SERVER C Using Wmnet2
Server 2008

IP 192.168.50.3
SM 255.255.255.0
GW 192.168.50.1

DNS
192.168.50.1

I have disabled firewalls on these machines, setup Server A as a domain control and installed Active Directory and DNS, Am unable to ping Server B & C. I tried to join Server B & C to this domain, also failed. Getting error unable to find or connect to domain. However I can ping server A from server B and C. Is there a different way to set this up ? Any help would be appreciated

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pumbaa_g

Not sure I see the default gateway here, do you have another device working as the GW?

techjunkie

The way I setup Server A, I thought that would act as the GW.

Devilry

Are you by chance building a trainsignal lab follow along? I am having almost the same issue with a thread posted earlier in MS subforum:

http://www.techexams.net/forums/mcts-mcitp-windows-2008-general/79476-70-640-trainsignal-lab-dns-networking-issue.html

pumbaa_g

Sorry mate my bad, didnt see that

blargoe

If you didn't install some kind of routing software on Server A, it isn't going to route traffic between VMNet2 and the Host PC's network (if that is what you're trying to do). For Servers A-C to communicate with each other, the default gateway is irrelevant since they are all on the same subnet.

Can you ping the servers by IP address from the other servers? You installed VMware tools on each of the VMs to get the ethernet drivers installed?

techjunkie

blargoe wrote: »

If you didn't install some kind of routing software on Server A, it isn't going to route traffic between VMNet2 and the Host PC's network (if that is what you're trying to do). For Servers A-C to communicate with each other, the default gateway is irrelevant since they are all on the same subnet.

Can you ping the servers by IP address from the other servers? You installed VMware tools on each of the VMs to get the ethernet drivers installed?

Why would I need any routing software when am on the same network.In any case what routing software would that be? Mind you Server A has two NICs with one communicating to Server B & C. I can ping and rdp to server A from server B and C, but not ping from server A to server B and C. just a little weird IMO

techjunkie

Devilry wrote: »

Are you by chance building a trainsignal lab follow along? I am having almost the same issue with a thread posted earlier in MS subforum:

http://www.techexams.net/forums/mcts-mcitp-windows-2008-general/79476-70-640-trainsignal-lab-dns-networking-issue.html

This is just an imaginary lab I came up with. I plan to learn how server 2008 AD works and all the other features within svr 2008

MentholMoose

techjunkie wrote: »

The way I setup Server A, I thought that would act as the GW.

Did you actually configure server A to perform this function? Adding two NICs to a server doesn't make it start routing automatically. You would need to install the NPAS role and configure it accordingly. Your study guide should have a chapter on this. However, I'd avoid using the DC for this since the rule of thumb is to not give a DC multiple IPs, and configuring a VM as a router is not required anyway as VMware Workstation includes routing functionality.

If VMnet2 is currently a NAT network, simply configure VMs to use the gateway configured for VMnet2 in the Virtual Network Editor. Or you could configure the VMs to use DHCP since Workstation can (and by default will) use DHCP assign IPs and DNS to the VMs. To use DHCP in your AD lab, you need to configure the correct DHCP settings in the Network Editor (mainly, set the DNS server to the DC). If VMnet2 is Host-only, you would need to configure a VM as a router, or just change it to NAT instead.

As far as ping not working, you may need to configure the firewall on Server B and C to allow it. I believe ICMP is blocked by default on Server 2008 R2. Installing certain roles (e.g. AD, DNS) and enabling RDP will relax the firewall rules for you, which could explain why Server A is reachable. Another possible problem is an IP address conflict. By default the host gets the first IP in NAT and Host-only networks, so it might be conflicting with the VM configured with 192.168.50.1. In NAT networks, by default the Workstation-provided gateway uses the second IP, so that might be conflicting with the VM with 192.168.50.2.

techjunkie

MentholMoose wrote: »

Did you actually configure server A to perform this function? Adding two NICs to a server doesn't make it start routing automatically. You would need to install the NPAS role and configure it accordingly. Your study guide should have a chapter on this. However, I'd avoid using the DC for this since the rule of thumb is to not give a DC multiple IPs, and configuring a VM as a router is not required anyway as VMware Workstation includes routing functionality.

Is there any specific way I should configure NPAS? I was so wrong to think this would be a piece of cake. I guess it's a learning curve

MentholMoose wrote: »

If VMnet2 is currently a NAT network, simply configure VMs to use the gateway configured for VMnet2 in the Virtual Network Editor. Or you could configure the VMs to use DHCP since Workstation can (and by default will) use DHCP assign IPs and DNS to the VMs. To use DHCP in your AD lab, you need to configure the correct DHCP settings in the Network Editor (mainly, set the DNS server to the DC). If VMnet2 is Host-only, you would need to configure a VM as a router, or just change it to NAT instead.

I have VMnet2 set to Host-only, and all the servers are using static IPs. I do not think I will need any routing

MentholMoose wrote: »

As far as ping not working, you may need to configure the firewall on Server B and C to allow it. I believe ICMP is blocked by default on Server 2008 R2. Installing certain roles (e.g. AD, DNS) and enabling RDP will relax the firewall rules for you, which could explain why Server A is reachable. Another possible problem is an IP address conflict. By default the host gets the first IP in NAT and Host-only networks, so it might be conflicting with the VM configured with 192.168.50.1. In NAT networks, by default the Workstation-provided gateway uses the second IP, so that might be conflicting with the VM with 192.168.50.2.

I have disabled windows firewall on all servers. Anyways, the good thing is all the servers can RDP into each other, I shall not worry about pings anymore.

MentholMoose

Do you want the VMs to communicate outside the host? If so, and you want to keep using a Host-only network, then you need a router to route from that Host-only network to external networks. I believe this can be done with the routing and remote access service in NPAS.
Routing and Remote Access Service

I suggest using a NAT network instead of Host-only so you don't have to deal with setting up the router yourself. With NAT it should be a piece of cake. Configure the network in the Virtual Network Editor and configure the VMs for that network (you can use DHCP or static). The other option is to use bridging and not have to deal with any of this. The VMs will effectively be on your physical network and can communicate directly with each other and other hosts on the network, including the gateway.

Make sure to pay attention to the settings in the Network Editor to help avoid IP address conflicts. Since you've disabled the firewall and still are having trouble, there quite possibly is a conflict. Networking in VMware Workstation is supposed to be easy but it cannot undo incorrect configuration in VMs such as IP conflicts.

techjunkie

MentholMoose wrote: »

Do you want the VMs to communicate outside the host? If so, and you want to keep using a Host-only network, then you need a router to route from that Host-only network to external networks. I believe this can be done with the routing and remote access service in NPAS.
Routing and Remote Access Service

I suggest using a NAT network instead of Host-only so you don't have to deal with setting up the router yourself. With NAT it should be a piece of cake. Configure the network in the Virtual Network Editor and configure the VMs for that network (you can use DHCP or static). The other option is to use bridging and not have to deal with any of this. The VMs will effectively be on your physical network and can communicate directly with each other and other hosts on the network, including the gateway.

Make sure to pay attention to the settings in the Network Editor to help avoid IP address conflicts. Since you've disabled the firewall and still are having trouble, there quite possibly is a conflict. Networking in VMware Workstation is supposed to be easy but it cannot undo incorrect configuration in VMs such as IP conflicts.

Thanks a lot, I will try what you have suggested and let you know how it goes