Windows 7 will not recognize domain, without adding DNS manually?

[Compman55]

To keep it real simple, at work to join a domain you simply goto compter name, and select domain, then type the name and it finds it pefectly. The network adaptor is all set to automatic DCHP and auto DNS.

At home when I am experimenting with server 2008 r2, I must add the DNS number which is the server IP address to my network adaptor any any windows 7 PC. If I don't, it will not find the domain by name.

I have added the IP to the DNS of my linksys router, but still no luck. I added a reverse lookup entry to the DNS under my active directory, still nothing.

What am I missing?

 

[Lean L]

probably a local domain?

It's not set up with DNS so you will just have to add it each time. That or set up your own domain for it.

 

[Lean L]

probably a local domain?

It's not set up with DNS so you will just have to add it each time. That or set up your own domain for it.

edit: nvm, read rest of post. How did you add the domain to your local dns? If you have ddwrt you can upload a custom host file for the router to use. Or just do the host file for all the comps.

 

[Nothinman]

No host files should be used, AD needs DNS setup properly to work and you can't easily use a non-Windows DNS server for it. In general you need to set all of your workstations DNS servers to your AD DCs and that's it. The DCs will then forward recursive requests to a smarthost or the root servers, depending on how you have them configured.

It's also a good idea to have DHCP on the DCs, however that's not a big deal to have on another device as long as it's handing out the appropriate DNS entries and search domains.

 

[imagoon]

Basically what Nothinman said. DNS is the #1 way to break a Windows Domain. All the clients should only have DNS servers that are serving the domain DNS information. Hosts files cannot support this since you need proper SRV records / A records / CNAME to state a couple. The default DNS Zone for a Domain also has a few hundred records.

 

[Compman55]

edit: nvm, read rest of post. How did you add the domain to your local dns? If you have ddwrt you can upload a custom host file for the router to use. Or just do the host file for all the comps.

How did I add the domain to local DNS. When server 2008r2 setup the AD, it enabled DNS. I did manually add a reverse lookup zone under the DNS GPO. 192.168.2.149

I then went into my linksys router and added 192.168.2.149 to my dns list for the LAN.

I can use any computer not on the local domain and tracert testad.local and get a response showing the trace completed and yes it does show the IP. I can also tracert the server name which is DC01 and it completes. However when I go to join the domain in windows, it does not find it unless I add the 192.168.2.149 to the dns sention under the wired network adaptor.

I have spent the entire weekend reading and cannot figure it out.

 

[imagoon]

I have spent the entire weekend reading and cannot figure it out.

Read my post. Your answer is right there.

Your router has no idea how to serve the SRV records. "HOSTS" has no provisions for them either.

For example:

SRV record for domain.example.com:

_tcp_gc [0][100][3268] domaincontroller.domain.example.com.

Your DNS server information must *only* have the domain DNS (on the domain controller in this case). You cannot have the domain DNS and the ISP DNS in DHCP.

 

[Compman55]

Ok I kinda get it. My router is forwarding my isp and domain dns. But how do I correct this?

 

[Lifted]

Ok I kinda get it. My router is forwarding my isp and domain dns. But how do I correct this?

Manually enter the static IP of your server on the workstation as the only DNS server. Do not use the IP of the router, which I assume is being obtained via the DHCP server running on your router.

 

[Nothinman]

Manually enter the static IP of your server on the workstation as the only DNS server. Do not use the IP of the router, which I assume is being obtained via the DHCP server running on your router.

Or just change what the router hands out via DHCP.

 

[Lifted]

Or just change what the router hands out via DHCP.

That would work as well, but I was under the impression the OP had a little a lab environment going with this domain, and as such, wouldn't want all devices on the network using the Domain Controller for DNS as it may not be a 24/7 system.