Server 2003 changing from single nic to 2 nic configuration

In SBS server management wizard you can change
your network configuration from a single NIC to dual NIC (internal lan
and
external wan / public interface) configuration which usuaally works
beautifully.
Recently, we have gone from a single nic configuration to just such a
LAN / WAN seperation on a 2003 non SBS box and it is there we have hit
a multitude of issues mainly involving browse master roles and the
ability to map drives from one server to another. Our main domain
controller (Alpha) can not see itself in the computer list. We cannot
map a drive to a share on Beta server despite being able to see it. The
whole thing has just gone completely messed up. I am convinced when we
enabled the 2nd NIC and
changed our IP addresses etc, that something in DNS has got screwed up
- we have other sites using SBS with Dual nic configurations without a
problem which is why I am convinced the SBS wizard does something to
system files I am not aware of. I am at a loss right now and wish we
had chosen SBS for this client now. Can anyone point me in the right
direction

It's really the same problem as the multihomed server problem in NT.
That's what causes the browser problems. With dynamic DNS you get the same
sorts of problems with DNS names.

The first thing to do is to disable Netbios over TCP/IP on the public
interface. This should fix the browser problems. If you are using WINS you
may need to clean it up by removing the "wrong" IP addresses for the
multihomed server.

The same sort of thing happens with remote access servers. If you are
using RRAS you need to look at the RRAS internal interface as well as the
public NIC. See KB 292822 for a description of that problem.

(E-Mail Removed) wrote:
> In SBS server management wizard you can change
> your network configuration from a single NIC to dual NIC (internal lan
> and
> external wan / public interface) configuration which usuaally works
> beautifully.
> Recently, we have gone from a single nic configuration to just such a
> LAN / WAN seperation on a 2003 non SBS box and it is there we have hit
> a multitude of issues mainly involving browse master roles and the
> ability to map drives from one server to another. Our main domain
> controller (Alpha) can not see itself in the computer list. We cannot
> map a drive to a share on Beta server despite being able to see it.
> The whole thing has just gone completely messed up. I am convinced
> when we enabled the 2nd NIC and
> changed our IP addresses etc, that something in DNS has got screwed up
> - we have other sites using SBS with Dual nic configurations without a
> problem which is why I am convinced the SBS wizard does something to
> system files I am not aware of. I am at a loss right now and wish we
> had chosen SBS for this client now. Can anyone point me in the right
> direction

Hi there, Thanks for your advice on this. What I cannot grasp is that I
had no such problems with SBS - we happily run numerous servers with
the same configuration. In fact, the SBS wizard specifically asks you
when installing if you want a single nic configuration AND recommends
using a seperate NIC for WAN traffic. Right now, our situation is
worse. The Alpha server can browse the complete list of computers but
cannot see itself. However, if I try to browse one of the computers in
the list that I know has shared folders, I get an inaccessible error.
The frustrating part is that I thought I knew what I was doing after
doing server installs for a number of years and now I feel completely
lost. Idiot guide anyone?

One other thing I have just noticed - in Routing and Remote access
under IP Routing / General. There is a list of interfaces NIC1, NIC2,
Loopback and Internal which is normal. However, the Internal interface
IP address is Not available, Administrative Status is Unknown and
Operational Status is Not available. This seems strange.

The internal interface is used for remote access. It is the server end
of the point to point link between client and server. It will not become
active and acquire an IP address until a remote client connects. RRAS is
remote access server as well as a router.

(E-Mail Removed) wrote:
> One other thing I have just noticed - in Routing and Remote access
> under IP Routing / General. There is a list of interfaces NIC1, NIC2,
> Loopback and Internal which is normal. However, the Internal interface
> IP address is Not available, Administrative Status is Unknown and
> Operational Status is Not available. This seems strange.