Connectivity issues with Server 2003 and Vista Ultimate

First off - I am VERY new to server 2003 and networking in general, so bare with me.

I have a single domain with a single workstation setup at home to learn Server 2003. I am working with Server 2003 Enterprise and Vista Ultimate.

I am not able to connect remotely to the server, and my workstation is not getting an internet connection from the server.

Sometimes, after I hit connect on the Remote Desktop Connection program, the screen turns all black. Recently it has told me that it cannot find the server.

Both IP's are static, and here is the info:

Workstation:
192.168.1.69
255.255.255.0
192.168.1.1

Primary DNS: 192.168.1.50

Server:
192.168.1.50
255.255.255.0
192.168.1.1

Primary DNS: 127.0.0.1

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Is the server firewall turned on?

The server is the main DC running AD. I didn't set any firewall settings to any group policy, so I believe that there is no firewall for it.

Right click Network Places on desktop, Properties. I don't have any firewalled servers, but if it is it should list it as firewalled and I think a padlock on the icon. If so, right click the icon and go to properties. Firewall settings are under the Advanced tab.

Have you tried a simple ping test? Are these virtual machines or physical? Are cables OK if they're physical machines, or are your virtual network settings correct if they're VMs?

Here is some more information:

The server and workstation were working fine yesterday up until the following happened.

I was trying to learn about printing, so I went to add a printing device (via usb directly into the server). When the add printer wizard prompted me for the IP address to the printer, I gave it the IP address of the server (192.168.1.50).

It asked me for printer drivers, which I had loaded onto a flash drive. I plugged the flash drive into the front USB ports instead of the back.

The server then froze, so I removed the flash drive and rebooted the server. Now, no USB devices will work (mouse and keyboard specifically) and I'm having these connection issues.

As of right now I am navigating the server with a keyboard only plugged in via PSP or PS2 (forgot what it is called).

arwes wrote: »

Right click Network Places on desktop, Properties. I don't have any firewalled servers, but if it is it should list it as firewalled and I think a padlock on the icon. If so, right click the icon and go to properties. Firewall settings are under the Advanced tab.

On the desktop, I went to Windows Firewall and allowed anything at all that says Remote.

dynamik wrote: »

Have you tried a simple ping test? Are these virtual machines or physical? Are cables OK if they're physical machines, or are your virtual network settings correct if they're VMs?

Everything is physical, and all the cables should be working correctly.

The server can be pinged.

You created an ip conflict when you assigned 192.168.1.50 to the printer. Unplug the printer if you haven't already done so. Otherwise try changing the ip of the server to 192.168.1.51 or something, then reboot to make sure the srv records are updated. Not sure about the usb problem...

sprkymrk wrote: »

You created an ip conflict when you assigned 192.168.1.50 to the printer. Unplug the printer if you haven't already done so. Otherwise try changing the ip of the server to 192.168.1.51 or something, then reboot to make sure the srv records are updated. Not sure about the usb problem...

I never actually finished the add printer wizard since it froze. I unattached the printer from the server before I rebooted it and then started experiencing these problems, so the printer is eliminated from the equation for now.

Edit - I have since rebooted the server a few times after removing the printer

Can you see anything in the event logs? Are all your services that are set to "automatic" started? Does device manager show any problems?

Well now i can't ping anything from the server. I did the following:

From the server:

Clicked Run
Typed cmd
Typed: ping -a 192.168.1.103
Received the following:

Pinging 192.168.1.103 with 32 bytes of data:

Request timed out.
Request timed out.
Request timed out.
Request timed out.

Ping statistics for 192.168.1.103:
Packets: Sent=4, Received=0, Lost=4 (100% Loss)

I then tried to ping the server from a laptop connected solely to the router, not associated with the domain at all.

Typed ping -a 192.168.1.50
Received:

Reply from 192.168.1.50: Destination host unreachable.
Reply from 192.168.1.50: Destination host unreachable.
Reply from 192.168.1.50: Destination host unreachable.
Reply from 192.168.1.50: Destination host unreachable.

Ping statistics for 192.168.1.103:
Packets: Sent=4, Received=4, Lost=0 (0% Loss)

MattGibson wrote: »

Well now i can't ping anything from the server. I did the following:

From the server:

Clicked Run
Typed cmd
Typed: ping -a 192.168.1.103
Received the following:

Pinging 192.168.1.103 with 32 bytes of data:

Request timed out.
Request timed out.
Request timed out.
Request timed out.

Ping statistics for 192.168.1.103:
Packets: Sent=4, Received=0, Lost=4 (100% Loss)

I then tried to ping the server from a laptop connected solely to the router, not associated with the domain at all.

Typed ping -a 192.168.1.50
Received:

Reply from 192.168.1.50: Destination host unreachable.
Reply from 192.168.1.50: Destination host unreachable.
Reply from 192.168.1.50: Destination host unreachable.
Reply from 192.168.1.50: Destination host unreachable.

Ping statistics for 192.168.1.103:
Packets: Sent=4, Received=4, Lost=0 (0% Loss)

Okay, slow down a second.

What is configured with the address of 192.168.1.103?

Can you do an ipconfig /all on both your machines and post the output?

As far as the laptop connected directly to the router, it depends on what port you plugged it into and what ip was assigned to your laptop. It may be perfectly okay to get a Destination host unreachable message.

Also do a "route print" from a cmd prompt and post those results from both machines. Then finally, if you can log into your router and copy/paste the internal config it might be helpful too.

Question: Does your server have 2 NICS?

sprkymrk wrote: »

Okay, slow down a second.

What is configured with the address of 192.168.1.103?

Can you do an ipconfig /all on both your machines and post the output?

As far as the laptop connected directly to the router, it depends on what port you plugged it into and what ip was assigned to your laptop. It may be perfectly okay to get a Destination host unreachable message.

Also do a "route print" from a cmd prompt and post those results from both machines. Then finally, if you can log into your router and copy/paste the internal config it might be helpful too.

Question: Does your server have 2 NICS?

192.168.1.103 was a laptop that was connected wirelessly to the router.
The server only has one NIC, and the server can now access webpages from IE
I'll post the route prints separately from both machines

IPCONFIG ALL FROM SERVER:

Host name - server
Primary DNS Suffix - homeserver.local
Node type - Hybrid
IP Routing Enabled - no
WINS Proxy Enabled - no
DNS Suffix Search LIst - homeserver.local

Ethernet adapter Local Area Connection 2:

connection-specific DNS Suffix -
Description - Intel<R> PRO/100 VE Network Connection
Physical Address - 00-13-20-88-63-10
DHCP Enabled - No
IP Address - 192.168.1.50
Subnet Mask - 255.255.255.0
Default Gatway - 192.168.1.1
DNS Servers - 65.24.7.10

IPCONFIG ALL FROM DESKTOP

Host name - Desktop-PC
Primary DNS Suffix - homeserver.local
Node type - Hybrid
IP Routing Enabled - no
WINS Proxy Enabled - no
DNS Suffix Search LIst - homeserver.local

Ethernet adapter Local Area Connection 2:

connection-specific DNS Suffix -
Description - NVIDIA nForce Networking Controller
Physical Address - 00-1A-92-44-11-6D
DHCP Enabled - No
Autoconfiguration Enabled - Yes
IP Address - 192.168.1.69
Subnet Mask - 255.255.255.0
Default Gatway -
DNS Servers - 192.168.1.50
NetBIOS over Tcpip - Enabled

Ok let's focus on one issue at a time here. From the description the root cause of all this is a flubbed install of the printer. Let's get that backed out first. I'd recommend uninstalling and disabling any of the drivers and/or software that may be left over from the printer. Check your device manager and check your services, see if anything is getting hung up. Also don't forget to check the event log and see what is being reported there.

ROUTE PRINT FROM DESKTOP

Microsoft Windows [Version 6.0.6001]
Copyright (c) 2006 Microsoft Corporation. All rights reserved.

C:\Users\matt>route print
===========================================================================
Interface List
10 ...00 1a 92 44 11 6d ...... NVIDIA nForce Networking Controller
1 ........................... Software Loopback Interface 1
12 ...00 00 00 00 00 00 00 e0 isatap.{6F25D367-125F-4584-80CB-681FBA39529A}
===========================================================================

IPv4 Route Table
===========================================================================
Active Routes:
Network Destination Netmask Gateway Interface Metric
127.0.0.0 255.0.0.0 On-link 127.0.0.1 306
127.0.0.1 255.255.255.255 On-link 127.0.0.1 306
127.255.255.255 255.255.255.255 On-link 127.0.0.1 306
169.254.0.0 255.255.0.0 On-link 192.168.1.69 296
169.254.255.255 255.255.255.255 On-link 192.168.1.69 276
192.168.1.0 255.255.255.0 On-link 192.168.1.69 276
192.168.1.69 255.255.255.255 On-link 192.168.1.69 276
192.168.1.255 255.255.255.255 On-link 192.168.1.69 276
224.0.0.0 240.0.0.0 On-link 127.0.0.1 306
224.0.0.0 240.0.0.0 On-link 192.168.1.69 276
255.255.255.255 255.255.255.255 On-link 127.0.0.1 306
255.255.255.255 255.255.255.255 On-link 192.168.1.69 276
===========================================================================
Persistent Routes:
Network Address Netmask Gateway Address Metric
0.0.0.0 0.0.0.0 192.168.1.1 Default
===========================================================================

IPv6 Route Table
===========================================================================
Active Routes:
If Metric Network Destination Gateway
1 306 ::1/128 On-link
10 276 fe80::/64 On-link
10 276 fe80::18cd:e969:c716:bb08/128
On-link
1 306 ff00::/8 On-link
10 276 ff00::/8 On-link
===========================================================================
Persistent Routes:
None

C:\Users\matt>

undomiel wrote: »

Ok let's focus on one issue at a time here. From the description the root cause of all this is a flubbed install of the printer. Let's get that backed out first. I'd recommend uninstalling and disabling any of the drivers and/or software that may be left over from the printer. Check your device manager and check your services, see if anything is getting hung up. Also don't forget to check the event log and see what is being reported there.

What should i specifically look for in the event log and device manager? The add printer wizard never actually finished, so when I go to printers and faxes, it still only shows the add printer icon.

In the services, everything is either blank or says Started. Nothing says Paused or Stopped

ROUTE PRINT FROM SERVER

Active Routes:
Network Destination:
0.0.0.0
127.0.0.0
192.168.1.0
192.168.1.50
192.168.1.255
224.0.0.0
255.255.255.255

Netmask:
0.0.0.0
255.0.0.0
255.255.255.0
255.255.255.255
255.255.255.255
240.0.0.0
255.255.255.255
192.168.1.1

Gateway:
192.168.1.1
127.0.0.1
192.168.1.50
127.0.0.1
192.168.1.50
192.168.1.50
192.168.1.50

Interface:
192.168.1.50
127.0.0.1
192.168.1.50
127.0.0.1
192.168.1.50
192.168.1.50
192.168.1.50

Metric:
20
1
20
20
20
20
1

Default Gateway: 192.168.1.1

Persistent Routes: none

Is your server also supposed to be hosting DNS? Is it a DC? It should be pointing to itself for DNS. As for the event log check for errors and warnings in there. They should give you some clues as to what is causing a problem. What was at 192.168.1.103? Was that the laptop? Is the workstation able to ping the server and the server able to ping the workstation with their firewalls allowing ICMP?

undomiel wrote: »

Is your server also supposed to be hosting DNS? Is it a DC? It should be pointing to itself for DNS. As for the event log check for errors and warnings in there. They should give you some clues as to what is causing a problem. What was at 192.168.1.103? Was that the laptop? Is the workstation able to ping the server and the server able to ping the workstation with their firewalls allowing ICMP?

I don't believe the server should host DNS. I never did anything DNS-wise. I have only ran dcpromo

It is a DC.

Yes the laptop was 192.168.1.103

The laptop is a Compaq running Vista. It is not attached to the domain, it simply is attached to the router wirelessly.

The desktop is the only workstation in the domain and it has the following static IP - 192.168.1.69

How do I allow ICMP?

Sorry for the dumb question, but where do I access the event log?

Okay, in your first post you had the server pointing to itself for DNS (127.0.0.1) which is correct if it is a DC hosting its own DNS.

When did you change it to the ISP DNS? Is that when you were able to access the Internet?

Open your services applet and sort by "startup type". This should place everything set to automatic at the top of the list. Make sure everything set to automatic is started and not empty/blank or stopped/stopping.

Event logs are accessed via computer management or go to your Administrative Tools in the Control Panel and select Event Viewer. If you have a DNS event log that means you did install DNS on your server. If not, then AD wouldn't be working at all using your ISP DNS server.

sprkymrk wrote: »

Okay, in your first post you had the server pointing to itself for DNS (127.0.0.1) which is correct if it is a DC hosting its own DNS.

When did you change it to the ISP DNS? Is that when you were able to access the Internet?

Open your services applet and sort by "startup type". This should place everything set to automatic at the top of the list. Make sure everything set to automatic is started and not empty/blank or stopped/stopping.

Event logs are accessed via computer management or go to your Administrative Tools in the Control Panel and select Event Viewer. If you have a DNS event log that means you did install DNS on your server. If not, then AD wouldn't be working at all using your ISP DNS server.

Ok, so all of the automatics in startup type are started. Some of the manuals are started as well.

In the Event Viewer in the left hand side I have the following listed:

Application
Security
System
Directory Service
DNS Server
File Replication Service

In the DNS server section I have the following Error:

Event ID: 6702

DNS server has updated its own host (A) records. In order to ensure that its DS-integrated peer DNS servers are able to replicate with this server, an attempt was made to update them with the new records through dynamic update. An error was encountered during this updated, the record data is the error code.

If this DNS server does not have any DS-integrated peers, then this error should be ignored.

If this DNS server's Active Directory replication partners do not have the correct IP address(es) for this server, they will be unable to replicate with it

To ensure proper replication:
1) Find this server's Active Directory replication partners that run the DNS server
2) Open DnsManager and connect in turn to each of the replication partners.
3) On each server, check the host (A record) registration for THIS server.
4) Delete any A records that do NOT correspond to IP address of this server.
5) If there are no A records for this server, add at least one A record corresponding to an address on this server, that the replication partner can contract. (In other words, if there multiple IP addresses for this DNS server, add at least one that is on the same network as the Active Directory DNS server you are updating.)
6) Note, that is not necessary to update EVERY replication partner. It is only necessary that the records are fixed up on enough replication partners so that every server that replicates with this server will receive (through replication) the new data.

For more information, see Help and Support Center at http://go.microsoft.com/fwlink/events.asp

I've been messing with my IP address for my server so much I can't keep it straight. What should I set it as? Give me the dumbed down numbers exactly because I am still learning all the terminology.

Okay, so we know that DNS is installed and running on your server. The error can probably be ignored since it is not replicating with any other AD integrated servers.

The ip address as you have it is probably okay, but you should set it's DNS back to itself, not the ISP DNS server.

Open your DNS MMC (from Administrative Tools) and set up your server as a forwarder, pointing it to your ISP DNS server there. That should get both your server and client able to access the Internet.
Right-click ServerName, where ServerName is the name of the server, and then click the Forwarders tab.

Question - If you only have 1 NIC, why does it show up as Local Area Connection 2? Just curious, there might be a valid reason.

sprkymrk wrote: »

Okay, so we know that DNS is installed and running on your server. The error can probably be ignored since it is not replicating with any other AD integrated servers.

The ip address as you have it is probably okay, but you should set it's DNS back to itself, not the ISP DNS server.

Open your DNS MMC (from Administrative Tools) and set up your server as a forwarder, pointing it to your ISP DNS server there. That should get both your server and client able to access the Internet.
Right-click ServerName, where ServerName is the name of the server, and then click the Forwarders tab.

Question - If you only have 1 NIC, why does it show up as Local Area Connection 2? Just curious, there might be a valid reason.

I have no idea about the local area connection 2. It has been that way the entire time though.

In the forwarder section it has both of the ISP DNS's

Alright here is what is going on now:

I can get internet from both my server and desktop by themselves

When I try to connect remotely to the server from my desktop it stalls and then it goes to an all black screen.

After I let it sit for a while I get this -

Your Remote Desktop session has ended.

The connection to the remote computer was lost, possibly due to network connectivity problems. Try connecting to the remote computer again. If the problem continue, contact your network administrator or technical support

Then, while the screen is black, i unhook the monitor from the desktop and plug it into the server directly, it shows up as normal.

USB devices are still not working on the desktop, and in the Device Manager, under USB, there are no question marks.

well after trying to connect to the server via remote desktop, the workstation is not getting internet again

Ok so your set up is this, a router with a server, a workstation and a laptop plugged into it. All physical machines, no virtual machines. The workstation is joined to your domain and your laptop is not. Your workstation is pointing to the server for dns and the server is pointing to itself hosting dns which has forwarding set to your isp's dns. Your laptop points directly to the isp's dns. When you say that your workstation can no longer get to the internet is this by ip address or by name? Can the server access the internet? Have you enabled and allowed remote desktop on the server?

This has DNS problems written all over it. Your DC should only have itself or another DC for DNS servers. NO ISP DNS servers.

Your workstation should only have your DNS server listed, none of your ISP's.

Your DNS Server/DC should do all the resolving for internet.

undomiel wrote: »

Ok so your set up is this, a router with a server, a workstation and a laptop plugged into it. All physical machines, no virtual machines. The workstation is joined to your domain and your laptop is not. Your workstation is pointing to the server for dns and the server is pointing to itself hosting dns which has forwarding set to your isp's dns. Your laptop points directly to the isp's dns. When you say that your workstation can no longer get to the internet is this by ip address or by name? Can the server access the internet? Have you enabled and allowed remote desktop on the server?

Yes, I have a router with both my server and workstation connected to it physically. The laptop was connected wirelessly to the router and was not a part of the domain. Everything is physical; nothing virtual.

My workstations primary DNS is the IP of my server.

The servers DNS is 127.0.0.1 and it is forwarding to my ISP DNS.

Remote desktop is enabled on the server.

The server can access internet.

rwwest7 wrote: »

This has DNS problems written all over it. Your DC should only have itself or another DC for DNS servers. NO ISP DNS servers.

Your workstation should only have your DNS server listed, none of your ISP's.

Your DNS Server/DC should do all the resolving for internet.

My workstation's DNS only points to the DC

The DC points to itself in conjunction with forwarding.

Is that correct?

MattGibson wrote: »

My workstation's DNS only points to the DC

The DC points to itself in conjunction with forwarding.

Is that correct?

Correct. Your DC's only DNS entry should be itself. You don't have to use 127.0.0.1, you can use it's actual IP address as long as it's static. If your only DNS server under TCP/IP properties is itself, and you can still access the internet then your forwarders are set up properly.

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