Windows XP SP2 will not contact domain controller

[jonathan.berg]

Windows XP SP2 IP 192.168.1.20
SM 255.255.255.0
DNS 192.168.1.2

Server SBS 2003 IP 192.168.1.10
SM 255.255.255.0
DNS 192.168.1.2

When attempting to join the computer to the domain i received
"a domain controller for the domain domain could not be contacted"
from the command prompt i'm able to ping the server by ip address but
not by hostname. The local SP2 firewall has already been disabled.

From another computer with the exact TCP/IP settings (except IP

address) i'm able to ping the server by netbios name and join the
computer to the domain. How can i fix DNS on this computer?

 

[Robert L [MS-MVP]]

Your DNS is 192.168.1.2. What's 192.168.1.2? is it another windows server or just a hardware router? What you need to do is setup an internal DNS and make sure it works. you may use nslookup to check the DNS status.

Bob Lin, MS-MVP, MCSE & CNE
How to Setup Windows, Network, VPN & Remote Access on http://www.HowToNetworking.com
Networking, Internet, Routing, VPN Troubleshooting on http://www.ChicagoTech.net
This posting is provided "AS IS" with no warranties.
Don't send e-mail or reply to me except you need consulting services. Posting on MS newsgroup will benefit all readers and you may get more help.
Windows XP SP2 IP 192.168.1.20
SM 255.255.255.0
DNS 192.168.1.2

Server SBS 2003 IP 192.168.1.10
SM 255.255.255.0
DNS 192.168.1.2

When attempting to join the computer to the domain i received
"a domain controller for the domain domain could not be contacted"
from the command prompt i'm able to ping the server by ip address but
not by hostname. The local SP2 firewall has already been disabled.

From another computer with the exact TCP/IP settings (except IP

address) i'm able to ping the server by netbios name and join the
computer to the domain. How can i fix DNS on this computer?

 

[Ron Lowe]

Windows XP SP2 IP 192.168.1.20
SM 255.255.255.0
DNS 192.168.1.2

Server SBS 2003 IP 192.168.1.10
SM 255.255.255.0
DNS 192.168.1.2

When attempting to join the computer to the domain i received
"a domain controller for the domain domain could not be contacted"
from the command prompt i'm able to ping the server by ip address but
not by hostname. The local SP2 firewall has already been disabled.
address) i'm able to ping the server by netbios name and join the
computer to the domain. How can i fix DNS on this computer?

As Robert said, what is 192.168.0.2?

I'd have expected the machines to point to the server 192.168.0.10 as their
DNS.

It sounds like the overall DNS configuration is wrong.

 

[jonathan.berg]

192.168.1.2 is a hardware router that is responsible for DNS. Clients
should be using this for name resolution

 

[Ron Lowe]

192.168.1.2 is a hardware router that is responsible for DNS. Clients
should be using this for name resolution

No, they probably shouldn't.
This sounds wrong.

How is the router doing DNS?
Is it forwarding queries to your ISP?

In this case, this is with 100% certainty your problem.
Your ISP's DNS servers know nothing of your AD Domain.

You MUST point the clients to your internal DNS server.
There MUST be an Internal DNS server for the domain to work.
The SBS machine is most likely set up as the DNS server, if there's no other
server present.

Configure the SBS machine'd DNS server to forward unresolved queries out to
your ISP.

Here's my usual lecture on the topic:

XP differs from previous versions of windows in that it uses
DNS as it's primary name resolution method for finding domain
controllers:

How Domain Controllers Are Located in Windows XP
http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;en-us;314861

If DNS is misconfigured, XP will spend a lot of time waiting for it to
timeout before it tries using legacy NT4 sytle NetBIOS.
( Which may or may not work. )

1) Ensure that the XP clients are all configured to point to the local
DNS server which hosts the AD domain. That will probably be the
win2k server itself.
They should NOT be pointing an an ISP's DNS server.
An 'ipconfig /all' on the XP box should reveal ONLY the domain's
DNS server.

( you should use the DHCP server to push out the local DNS server
address. )

2) Ensure DNS server on win2k is configured to permit dynamic updates.

3) Ensure the win2k server points to itself as a DNS server.

4) For external ( internet ) name resolution, specify your ISP's DNS server
not on the clients, but in the 'forwarders' tab of the local win2k DNS
server.

On the DNS server, if you cannot access the 'Forwarders' and 'Root Hints'
tabs because they are greyed out, that is because there is a root zone (".")
present on the DNS server. You MUST delete this root zone to permit the
server to forward unresolved queries to yout ISP or the root servers.
Accept any nags etc, and let it delete any corresponding reverse lookuop
zones if it asks.


The following articles may assist you in setting up DNS correctly:

Setting Up the Domain Name System for Active Directory
http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;en-us;237675
HOW TO: Configure DNS for Internet Access in Windows 2000
http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;en-us;300202
DNS and AD FAQs:
http://support.microsoft.com/?id=291382