Printing when primary domain is down

Ok… This is going to be hard to explain please ask questions if you have any.
We are a small office and which is in NY and we have another small office in
MA. They are in the same Domain with the MA office the primary Domain
(Fireboxes at each end). Lately there has been an issue with the ISP and
connectivity (which is an issue with the ISP). When connectivity drops of
course we lose access to the domain in MA. Not a huge deal in itself… we
just reboot the cable modem and after 10-15 min we get back up and running.
The issue is that for some reason when we lose connectivity to the domain a
select number of workstations have an issue talking to the network printers.
It’s crazy but when this happens they can’t open a word doc, excel doc, they
can’t print, they cannot even bold a word in excel because all of those
operations are dependent on the printer and the workstation can’t talk to the
printer. The question is why? The printer is set up on the server in NY why
does it matter if the primary domain goes down? Also why is it only a select
few workstations? I’ve tried to reimage a workstation and still the same
issue. I’ve tried to change the user account and still same issue. I’ve
tried connecting the workstation to the printer by IP instead of to the
server and still same issue. I’m trying to work with the ISP and getting
this resolved but… it’s taking them forever. Any suggestions would be
great!!

Andre <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote:
> Ok. This is going to be hard to explain please ask questions if you
> have any. We are a small office and which is in NY and we have
> another small office in MA. They are in the same Domain with the MA
> office the primary Domain (Fireboxes at each end). Lately there has
> been an issue with the ISP and connectivity (which is an issue with
> the ISP). When connectivity drops of course we lose access to the
> domain in MA. Not a huge deal in itself. we just reboot the cable
> modem and after 10-15 min we get back up and running. The issue is
> that for some reason when we lose connectivity to the domain a select
> number of workstations have an issue talking to the network printers.
> It's crazy but when this happens they can't open a word doc, excel
> doc, they can't print, they cannot even bold a word in excel because
> all of those operations are dependent on the printer and the
> workstation can't talk to the printer. The question is why? The
> printer is set up on the server in NY why does it matter if the
> primary domain goes down? Also why is it only a select few
> workstations? I've tried to reimage a workstation and still the same
> issue. I've tried to change the user account and still same issue.
> I've tried connecting the workstation to the printer by IP instead of
> to the server and still same issue. I'm trying to work with the ISP
> and getting this resolved but. it's taking them forever. Any
> suggestions would be great!!

I presume both DCs are also GCs (global catalog servers)....if not, they
should be. Also, if the NY workstations authenticated to the DC in MA, that
could explain a lot. Make sure each of your DCs is in its own dedicated AD
Site & subnet (created in AD Sites & Services, and named appropriately).

"Andre" <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote in message
news:58638D5D-DE49-44B3-A4E7-(E-Mail Removed)...

> printer. The question is why? The printer is set up on the server in NY
> why
> does it matter if the primary domain goes down? Also why is it only a
> select
> few workstations? I've tried to reimage a workstation and still the same
> issue. I've tried to change the user account and still same issue. I've
> tried connecting the workstation to the printer by IP instead of to the
> server and still same issue. I'm trying to work with the ISP and getting
> this resolved but. it's taking them forever. Any suggestions would be
> great!!

If it is a "shared" printer this would happen because the communication for
the authentication of the "share" would be broken away from the DC that does
the authentication. But if printing directly to the IP# (TCP/IP Port) of
the Printer then it should not happen.

One issue might come up if the Printer and the particular Clients are not in
the same IP Segment and the Firewall/VPN Router is also "doubling" as the
LAN Router between those two segments. This kind of occurance could
indicate that the firewall is the source of your communication problems over
the WAN Link instead of the ISP meaning the ISP is wrongly being blamed.

One other "long shot" is if the Firewall has a built in "switch" and some of
the Clients or the Printers are pluged into it instead of a regular switch.
If the Firewall is "acting up" then the communication over that built in
switch could fail. For this reason a LAN should always use an independent
switch for connectivity and then just have a single cable going to the
Internal Interface of the Firewall and a single cable from the WAN Interface
to the Internet. Then if the Firewall "dies" the local LAN continues to
function independently.


--
Phillip Windell
www.wandtv.com

The views expressed, are my own and not those of my employer, or Microsoft,
or anyone else associated with me, including my cats.
-----------------------------------------------------

One other question... I do have gobal catalog set as you stated and they both
have dedicated AD site and subnet . However, on the NY server Because it's
not the primary domain I did not set up DNS, should I ?





"Lanwench [MVP - Exchange]" wrote:

> Andre <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote:
> > Ok. This is going to be hard to explain please ask questions if you
> > have any. We are a small office and which is in NY and we have
> > another small office in MA. They are in the same Domain with the MA
> > office the primary Domain (Fireboxes at each end). Lately there has
> > been an issue with the ISP and connectivity (which is an issue with
> > the ISP). When connectivity drops of course we lose access to the
> > domain in MA. Not a huge deal in itself. we just reboot the cable
> > modem and after 10-15 min we get back up and running. The issue is
> > that for some reason when we lose connectivity to the domain a select
> > number of workstations have an issue talking to the network printers.
> > It's crazy but when this happens they can't open a word doc, excel
> > doc, they can't print, they cannot even bold a word in excel because
> > all of those operations are dependent on the printer and the
> > workstation can't talk to the printer. The question is why? The
> > printer is set up on the server in NY why does it matter if the
> > primary domain goes down? Also why is it only a select few
> > workstations? I've tried to reimage a workstation and still the same
> > issue. I've tried to change the user account and still same issue.
> > I've tried connecting the workstation to the printer by IP instead of
> > to the server and still same issue. I'm trying to work with the ISP
> > and getting this resolved but. it's taking them forever. Any
> > suggestions would be great!!
>
> I presume both DCs are also GCs (global catalog servers)....if not, they
> should be. Also, if the NY workstations authenticated to the DC in MA, that
> could explain a lot. Make sure each of your DCs is in its own dedicated AD
> Site & subnet (created in AD Sites & Services, and named appropriately).
>
>
>

You need a DC at each loaction and you should have DNS on every DC.
You only have one domain,...there is no such thing as a "primary domain".


--
Phillip Windell
www.wandtv.com

The views expressed, are my own and not those of my employer, or Microsoft,
or anyone else associated with me, including my cats.
-----------------------------------------------------

"Andre" <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote in message
news:7C398E90-B0D0-4BD3-A500-(E-Mail Removed)...
> One other question... I do have gobal catalog set as you stated and they
> both
> have dedicated AD site and subnet . However, on the NY server Because it's
> not the primary domain I did not set up DNS, should I ?
>
>
>
>
>
> "Lanwench [MVP - Exchange]" wrote:
>
>> Andre <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote:
>> > Ok. This is going to be hard to explain please ask questions if you
>> > have any. We are a small office and which is in NY and we have
>> > another small office in MA. They are in the same Domain with the MA
>> > office the primary Domain (Fireboxes at each end). Lately there has
>> > been an issue with the ISP and connectivity (which is an issue with
>> > the ISP). When connectivity drops of course we lose access to the
>> > domain in MA. Not a huge deal in itself. we just reboot the cable
>> > modem and after 10-15 min we get back up and running. The issue is
>> > that for some reason when we lose connectivity to the domain a select
>> > number of workstations have an issue talking to the network printers.
>> > It's crazy but when this happens they can't open a word doc, excel
>> > doc, they can't print, they cannot even bold a word in excel because
>> > all of those operations are dependent on the printer and the
>> > workstation can't talk to the printer. The question is why? The
>> > printer is set up on the server in NY why does it matter if the
>> > primary domain goes down? Also why is it only a select few
>> > workstations? I've tried to reimage a workstation and still the same
>> > issue. I've tried to change the user account and still same issue.
>> > I've tried connecting the workstation to the printer by IP instead of
>> > to the server and still same issue. I'm trying to work with the ISP
>> > and getting this resolved but. it's taking them forever. Any
>> > suggestions would be great!!
>>
>> I presume both DCs are also GCs (global catalog servers)....if not, they
>> should be. Also, if the NY workstations authenticated to the DC in MA,
>> that
>> could explain a lot. Make sure each of your DCs is in its own dedicated
>> AD
>> Site & subnet (created in AD Sites & Services, and named appropriately).
>>
>>
>>

Andre <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote:
> One other question... I do have gobal catalog set as you stated and
> they both have dedicated AD site and subnet . However, on the NY
> server Because it's not the primary domain I did not set up DNS,
> should I ?

Yes. Each of your DCs should be running AD-integrated DNS, should point to
itself for DNS, and your workstations in each site should point at the local
DC/DNS server.

I think you meant to write "primary domain controller" and not "primary
domain" - but in AD, there's no such thing as a PDC/BDC. All DCs are
essentially peers.

>
>
>
>
>
> "Lanwench [MVP - Exchange]" wrote:
>
>> Andre <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote:
>>> Ok. This is going to be hard to explain please ask questions if you
>>> have any. We are a small office and which is in NY and we have
>>> another small office in MA. They are in the same Domain with the MA
>>> office the primary Domain (Fireboxes at each end). Lately there has
>>> been an issue with the ISP and connectivity (which is an issue with
>>> the ISP). When connectivity drops of course we lose access to the
>>> domain in MA. Not a huge deal in itself. we just reboot the cable
>>> modem and after 10-15 min we get back up and running. The issue is
>>> that for some reason when we lose connectivity to the domain a
>>> select number of workstations have an issue talking to the network
>>> printers. It's crazy but when this happens they can't open a word
>>> doc, excel doc, they can't print, they cannot even bold a word in
>>> excel because all of those operations are dependent on the printer
>>> and the workstation can't talk to the printer. The question is
>>> why? The printer is set up on the server in NY why does it matter
>>> if the primary domain goes down? Also why is it only a select few
>>> workstations? I've tried to reimage a workstation and still the same
>>> issue. I've tried to change the user account and still same issue.
>>> I've tried connecting the workstation to the printer by IP instead
>>> of to the server and still same issue. I'm trying to work with
>>> the ISP and getting this resolved but. it's taking them forever.
>>> Any suggestions would be great!!
>>
>> I presume both DCs are also GCs (global catalog servers)....if not,
>> they should be. Also, if the NY workstations authenticated to the DC
>> in MA, that could explain a lot. Make sure each of your DCs is in
>> its own dedicated AD Site & subnet (created in AD Sites & Services,
>> and named appropriately).

Phillip Windell <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote:
> You need a DC at each loaction and you should have DNS on every DC.
> You only have one domain,...there is no such thing as a "primary
> domain".

Jinx! :-)

<snip>

"Lanwench [MVP - Exchange]"
<(E-Mail Removed) hoo.com> wrote in message
news:OF%(E-Mail Removed)...
> Phillip Windell <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote:
>> You need a DC at each loaction and you should have DNS on every DC.
>> You only have one domain,...there is no such thing as a "primary
>> domain".
>
> Jinx! :-)

Jinx? We're a little slow in Illinois,...I don't know what that means. :-[

--
Phillip Windell
www.wandtv.com

Phillip Windell <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote:
> "Lanwench [MVP - Exchange]"
> <(E-Mail Removed) hoo.com> wrote in
> message news:OF%(E-Mail Removed)...
>> Phillip Windell <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote:
>>> You need a DC at each loaction and you should have DNS on every DC.
>>> You only have one domain,...there is no such thing as a "primary
>>> domain".
>>
>> Jinx! :-)
>
> Jinx? We're a little slow in Illinois,...I don't know what that
> means. :-[

G'wan. See the fourth bullet point at the top....
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jinx

"Lanwench [MVP - Exchange]"
<(E-Mail Removed) hoo.com> wrote in message
news:(E-Mail Removed)...
> Phillip Windell <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote:
>> "Lanwench [MVP - Exchange]"
>> <(E-Mail Removed) hoo.com> wrote in
>> message news:OF%(E-Mail Removed)...
>>> Phillip Windell <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote:
>>>> You need a DC at each loaction and you should have DNS on every DC.
>>>> You only have one domain,...there is no such thing as a "primary
>>>> domain".
>>>
>>> Jinx! :-)
>>
>> Jinx? We're a little slow in Illinois,...I don't know what that
>> means. :-[
>
> G'wan. See the fourth bullet point at the top....
> http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jinx

Ah! Young and young hearted it says in the fourth bullet,...that was my
problem,...I getting to be an old fart.
I was thinking of the other bullets points so I was confused :-)

--
Phillip Windell
www.wandtv.com

The views expressed, are my own and not those of my employer, or Microsoft,
or anyone else associated with me, including my cats.
-----------------------------------------------------