dns problem?

[Guest]

Win XP pro sp2 on domain on Win 2000 adv server.
Internet Explorer stops working. After a reboot it works briefly and then
stops again. A ping to the server IP works, but a ping to the server name
does not. My event log has about a hundred DCOM failures that cant find the
server name. the PC has been working OK for years - I have no idea what
caused this problem. The DNS client is running. Other PCs on the domain are
fine and I just cant work out what is wrong with mine!

Help!

 

[Matt Gibson]

Post an IPconfig /all from the server and the workstation.

Remember, if this is a domain, the clients should point to the server ONLY
for DNS.

Matt Gibson - GSEC

 

[William Ducklow]

Could be a lot of things John.

First thing, you should talk to your network administrator. There may be an
inaccurate setting in the DHCP server or other server issues with DNS.

It sounds like name resolution is not working for local names so you
probably don't have the server IP address in your DNS Servers setting.

Is that right?

 

[Guest]

Thanks William,

Getting closer - the DNS server was set to "obtain DNS server address
automatically". When I type the DNS server IP address in instead, I can then
ping the sever by name. So what will stop my PC getting the DNS server
automatically whilst the next PC along is fine?

 

[William Ducklow]

Have you verified that the PC next to you is fine for sure? Confirm that
your ipconfig /all matches (except for your ip address).

Are the other computers pre-XP? Maybe they are using NetBIOS or a WINS
server?
Name resolution is usually only handled by DNS, NetBIOS or WINS or possible
a LMHOSTS file.

On a side note, DHCP can give different computers different IP settings
based on MAC addresses. It is possible but not likely you have different
settings.

Any closer?

 

[Guest]

Hi William,

If I put the DNS server IP setting back to automatic, the only difference
between the working PC and mine (apart from the obvious) is "Node Type" and I
don't know what this is. The working PC has "Unknown" and mine has "Hybrid".
I cant see a setting in the IP config to control this. Is this a red herring?

 

[William Ducklow]

Are the operating systems exactly identical right down to service packs?

There will be some obvious difference in the systems. As I stated before,
the other machines may be using another form of name resolution.

Is your server's IP address in the DNS Servers entry?

 

[Guest]

Both the same. Motherboard, CPU, memory, O/S, Service packs and updates.
ipconfig /all only shows a 'DNS Servers' entry on either machine if I type
one in manually.

 

[William Ducklow]

How about under the Local Area Connection Properties. Click on Advanced then
select the DNS tab.

Append primary and connection specific DNS suffixes should be selected and
Append parent suffixes of the primary DNS suffix should be checked

Register this connection's address in DNS should be checked.

Under the WINS tab, only the default radio button should be selected. This
is where you may see a difference across the machines.

If there is no DNS Server entry on either machine when you type IPCONFIG
/ALL at the command line, then your servers DHCP is not set up right. It
should be handling that as well.

Why is one computer able to resolve names and not yours? I believe as I have
stated before, that they are either using NetBIOS, WINS server or LMHOSTS
lookup. I can be the only explanation. Ensure your settings match.

The proper way to fix this is to add the DNS to the DHCP server.