Problem resolving server name over WAN link

[Pluto]

OK, here is a weird problem hopefully someone can help me with.

Customer has a Active Directory Domain controller running W2k3, domain name 'customer.local'
Server is running Active Directory DNS and is the only DNS server in use internally.

Server with a legacy app running under NT4 Server is joined to the Active Directory as a member server. Server has a shared folder which users need to access.

A record exists in the Forward Lookup Zone for customer.local

Users in main office can connect to the server by browsing to \\nt4server\share

Users in remote office (different physical location and subnet) can resolve the correct IP of the NT4 server at the command line via ping nt4server, but cannot connect via \\nt4server
However, if I put \\nt4server.customer.local they can connect.

Remote office has their own DHCP server which is giving out the W2K3 server as their only DNS, and it is also giving out customer.local as the DNS suffix.


The legacy app is hardcoded to go to \\nt4server\share so I can't change it to include the dns suffix.

Users can connect to shares on the W2K3 server just fine by browsing to \\w2k3server\share (no dns suffix required)


Any ideas how I can make this work?

 

[spidey07]

Sounds like you need a WINS server.

NT operates with netbios names, not DNS names.

 

[Pluto]

actually, i just got it working....

by removing the dns suffix on the dhcp server at the remote site.

now an ipconfig /all on the remote workstation shows no connection-specific dns suffix, however customer.local is still present in DNS Suffix Search List (automatically due to domain membership)

no WINS server required this time...