VPN from home DNS resolution issues

[Travis Krampy]

Hi

I am having problems accessing my work mail from home. We recently are
upgrading from NT4 Exchange 5.5 to Windows 2003 Server Exchange 2003. We
have DNS set up correctly internally.

We have a VPN tunnel set up through the firewall.

I think the problem I am having is a DNS problem, but not sure how to fix
it.

What happens is when I connect through VPN to get my mail in Outlook 2003, I
started with setting up exchange account, then I put in the server name then
my name clicked "Check Name" and Outlook said that it could not resolve the
server name. I removed the server name and put the IP Address of the server
in the "Microsoft Exchange server" and my name resolved.

Now that sparked something in my head thinking that it was a DNS issue.

I opened a command prompt and tried to ping the server name. No replies. I
pinged IP address and got replies.

I added the servers in my DNS of my TCP/IP settings. Still couldn't get
ping servername.

I added the server and IP address in the hosts file and that finally worked.

I know that using a host file is a quick fix, but I would like to get this
permanently fixed.

Does anyone know what could be wrong with the DNS setup?

Thank you

Travis Krampy

 

[Kevin D. Goodknecht [MVP]]

In

Hi

I am having problems accessing my work mail from home. We recently
are upgrading from NT4 Exchange 5.5 to Windows 2003 Server Exchange
2003. We have DNS set up correctly internally.

We have a VPN tunnel set up through the firewall.

I think the problem I am having is a DNS problem, but not sure how to
fix it.

What happens is when I connect through VPN to get my mail in Outlook
2003, I started with setting up exchange account, then I put in the
server name then my name clicked "Check Name" and Outlook said that
it could not resolve the server name. I removed the server name and
put the IP Address of the server in the "Microsoft Exchange server"
and my name resolved.

Now that sparked something in my head thinking that it was a DNS
issue.

I opened a command prompt and tried to ping the server name. No
replies. I pinged IP address and got replies.

I added the servers in my DNS of my TCP/IP settings. Still couldn't
get ping servername.

I added the server and IP address in the hosts file and that finally
worked.

I know that using a host file is a quick fix, but I would like to get
this permanently fixed.

Does anyone know what could be wrong with the DNS setup?

Thank you

Travis Krampy

This hosts file is the general fix, this tends to happen if the AD Domain
name is the same as the public name.

Check the properties of the VPN connection on the Networking tab, TCP/IP
properties that you have the correct DNS server listed. Then click the
Advanced button, DNS tab and put in the correct DNS suffix for the domain
Exchange is in.

 

[Travis Krampy]

Yes the AD domain IS the same as the public name. So you are saying that
the hosts file is a fix? Are there any other fixes that we could use or be
aware of?

Thanks

Travis

 

[Kevin D. Goodknecht [MVP]]

In

Yes the AD domain IS the same as the public name. So you are saying
that the hosts file is a fix?

The host file is the only way you can reliably resolve the DC. It is because
it has a view of both internal and public namespaces and the VPN client has
no way of knowing which is which.

Are there any other fixes that we
could use or be aware of?

That's about it.

 

[Travis Krampy]

Thanks for your help!

Travis

In
The host file is the only way you can reliably resolve the DC. It is because
it has a view of both internal and public namespaces and the VPN client has
no way of knowing which is which.


That's about it.