Authenticating Remote Users

[Chris]

I have five remote users that exist on a different
Network ID than where my Domain Controllers exist.

Network ID's,
Remote Users: 172.16.0.0
Domain Controllers: 192.168.0.0



These two networks are connect by a frame relay network,
using two cisco routers (one on each end of it course).
Both the remote users computers and the domain
controllers can successfully ping each other back and
forth over the Frame Relay Line, which leads me to belive
I configured the ip routing tables within the cisco
correctly.

Also, the remote users computers are pointing there DNS
server entries to the Primary and Secondary Domain
controllers, and they are receiving DNS services.

The issue that I am experiencing is that I cannot join,
nor authenticate the remote client computers to the
domain. I keep getting an error that says domain
controller cannot be contacted. I presume this is
because the clients exist on a Network ID different than
where the Domain controllers do. Hence, when the client
sends a broadcast on there local tcp/ip network for a
domain controller, it never leaves the network.

I am wondering what my best course of action is to join
these five users to my domain. I would like, if
possible, to authenticate these users over the Frame
Relay Line. I really do not think it necessary to
install a secondary domain controller on the remote,
172.16.0.0 network, to log these clients onto the
domain...at least I hope not. I only have about 256Kbps
of bandwidth on the Frame Relay Line and I would have to
think with all the replication that happens between
domain controllers, it would bog down the frame relay
line. I also am a little weiry of creating another
domain just for these users, mainly because, well, there
are just five users and it seems pretty silly to install
a primary and secondary domain controller just for five
users.

Any suggestions would be appreciated. Thank you in
advance.
Chris

 

[Matjaz Ladava [MVP]]

When you join your clients to the domain, do you use NetBios domain name or
DNS domain name. Try DNS domain name, as routers normally block NetBios
broadcasts (in case you are using NetBios Names). You can install WINS
server (for NetBios Name resolution) on your network and point your clients
and servers to use them. But first try using DNS domain name when joining
your client to the domain.

--
Regards

Matjaz Ladava, MCSE, MCSA, MVP
Microsoft MVP - Active Directory

(e-mail address removed)
http://ladava.com