stop the need to ipconfig /renew

[doigy]

First time poster, long time watcher!

Our network requires users to ipconfig /renew several times a day to
view local DNS addresses. Can someone please tell me the cause and more
importantly a resolution to ensure users dont need to ipconfig /renew.

Not sure what info you may need to help, but it seems as though the
symtoms are our internet DNS is lost from the users network connection
so local addresses (http://intranet) are looking up directly on the
internet. ipconfig /renew will immediately re-initiate the first dns
for the office, and secondry dns for the gateway and everything works
again.

Is there a reason why we need to renew constantly. this is happening
for laptops using wireless as well as pc's plugged directly into the
lan.

 

[Pegasus \(MVP\)]

First time poster, long time watcher!

Our network requires users to ipconfig /renew several times a day to
view local DNS addresses. Can someone please tell me the cause and more
importantly a resolution to ensure users dont need to ipconfig /renew.

Not sure what info you may need to help, but it seems as though the
symtoms are our internet DNS is lost from the users network connection
so local addresses (http://intranet) are looking up directly on the
internet. ipconfig /renew will immediately re-initiate the first dns
for the office, and secondry dns for the gateway and everything works
again.

Is there a reason why we need to renew constantly. this is happening
for laptops using wireless as well as pc's plugged directly into the
lan.

I would set a fixed DNS in the PC's network card configuration.

 

[Danny Sanders]

What DNS server are you using for the Primary DNS server on the clients?
Alternate?

hth
DDS W 2k MVP MCSE

 

[Pegasus \(MVP\)]

I normally enter the address of the ADSL modem/router.
With some modem/routers this does not work, so I enter
the DNS addresses provided by my ISP.

 

[doigy]

I normally enter the address of the ADSL modem/router.
With some modem/routers this does not work, so I enter
the DNS addresses provided by my ISP.

Thanks for the replys. My DNS WINS DHCP AD DOMAIN are all located on
the one server 192.168.1.3. The DHCP has two entries for the client
dns's. Primary is set at 192.168.1.3 and secondary is 192.168.1.254
(this is our modem/router). After a period of time (around an hour) the
client pc's forget the 192.168.1.3 entry and when requesting an
internal web address it cant be found. The request will go straight
through to the router and lookup the address on the internet which
obviously can never find the correct internal website.

 

[Pegasus \(MVP\)]

Thanks for the replys. My DNS WINS DHCP AD DOMAIN are all located on
the one server 192.168.1.3. The DHCP has two entries for the client
dns's. Primary is set at 192.168.1.3 and secondary is 192.168.1.254
(this is our modem/router). After a period of time (around an hour) the
client pc's forget the 192.168.1.3 entry and when requesting an
internal web address it cant be found. The request will go straight
through to the router and lookup the address on the internet which
obviously can never find the correct internal website.

I can only repeat what I said in my first reply: Set a fixed DNS
in the PC's network card configuration

 

[Charlie Tame]

Just a thought but whatever machine (Router maybe?) is delivering DHCP have
you checked the lease time? You don't have another machine running DHCP
server by accident do you? This doesn't always seem to cause trouble but I
think it may do on occasions.

Charlie

 

[doigy]

I can only repeat what I said in my first reply: Set a fixed DNS
in the PC's network card configuration

wouldnt i have to do this manually on all pc's with the problem (ie all
of them) and continue to do so after each pc rebuild etc?

 

[Pegasus \(MVP\)]

wouldnt i have to do this manually on all pc's with the problem (ie all
of them) and continue to do so after each pc rebuild etc?

Yes, although you could do it remotely, using netsh.exe and
psexec.exe. Doing it remotely requires you to prepare things
carefully but it saves you going to each PC.

The alternative is to get to the root of the problem and find
out why your workstations lose their DNS address. Perhaps
your DNS server is set up incorrectly, or you have another
machine pretending to be a DNS. I have no experience in
doing this type of trouble-shooting.

 

[Frankster]

Thanks for the replys. My DNS WINS DHCP AD DOMAIN are all located on
the one server 192.168.1.3. The DHCP has two entries for the client
dns's. Primary is set at 192.168.1.3 and secondary is 192.168.1.254
(this is our modem/router). After a period of time (around an hour) the
client pc's forget the 192.168.1.3 entry and when requesting an
internal web address it cant be found. The request will go straight
through to the router and lookup the address on the internet which
obviously can never find the correct internal website.

From your description of the issue (still a little vague) I would guess that
you have two DHCP servers on your network. You should only have one. Turn
OFF the router's DHCP server and leave ON your Windows DHCP server. Also,
make sure your Windows DHCP server passes out ONLY its own IP for DNS to the
clients (i.e. 192.168.1.3) and that it uses ONLY its own DNS for its own DNS
client (i.e. 192.168.1.3). Also, make sure your Windows DNS server is
configured to *FORWARD* all unresolved requests to your router or your ISP
provided DNS servers.

-Frank

 

[Danny Sanders]

the one server 192.168.1.3. The DHCP has two entries for the client

dns's. Primary is set at 192.168.1.3 and secondary is 192.168.1.254
(this is our modem/router).

I would say this is your problem. You have your router set as the alternate
DNS server for your clients. I have seen the exact same symptoms when using
your ISP's DNS server as alternate. I would set up a second AD DNS server
and use that as secondary or just list your one and only AD DNS server as
primary and alternate.

hth
DDS W 2k MVP MCSE

 

[doigy]

I would say this is your problem. You have your router set as the alternate
DNS server for your clients. I have seen the exact same symptoms when using
your ISP's DNS server as alternate. I would set up a second AD DNS server
and use that as secondary or just list your one and only AD DNS server as
primary and alternate.

hth
DDS W 2k MVP MCSE

Problem has finally been resolved!!!

DHCP was enabled on router. This was turned off
DHCP had two DNS server entries, one for 192.168.1.3 and the other for
192.168.1.254 (router). This was updated to only have the 192.168.1.3
DNS.
DHCP scope entry for router 192.168.1.254 exists..

All clients now have the correct default gateway of 192.168.1.254 and a
single DNS entry for 192.168.1.3. As a result all http requests check
internal dns first, anything un-resolved goes out to the internet for
resolution. All fixed!

Will now keep a close eye on expiring leases causing the dns to be
missplaced. I beleive the initial problem was actually the two DNS
entries in DHCP fighting over each other and not knowing which one to
use as a prioroty.

Thanks for your responses!