Windows Active Directory DNS problem

Hi.
I have a windows server 2003 acting as a domain controller. The server
has static IP address. The ISP has its own DHCP server that all our
clients are getting IP addresses from. The server has DNS server installed.
Here is the problem I have.
Clients cannot join the domain unless I specifically set in network
settings to point to the server as the preferred DNS server.
If the client joins the domain these settings have to stay intact in
order for the group policy to be applied. If I change the client's
network settings to "Obtain DNS server address automatically" the client
cannot join the domain and if it has joined already the group policy
(such as Folder redirection) does not work.
Is there a way to avoid changing user's network settings?
Did I misconfigured DNS server?

Please help.
Thanks.
Alex

Clients use DNS to locate your Active Directory (your global catalog and
other services inside Active Directory). If clients get IP and DNS setting
where DNS settings point to DNS that doesn't know anything about your
internal domain (DNS) then of course clients won't be able to communicate
with Active Directory.

So, make sure your clients always have DNS set to internal DNS server (which
can then forward any request for external sites to your ISP DNS). You can
still use DHCP but you will probably have to do one of two things:
- talk to your ISP to change DNS settings that they are sending with DHCP
- statically set DNS (you can do this using script with netsh)

I hope this helps,

--
Mike
Microsoft MVP - Windows Security

"Alex Khvatov" <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote in message
news:uP$(E-Mail Removed)...
> Hi.
> I have a windows server 2003 acting as a domain controller. The server has
> static IP address. The ISP has its own DHCP server that all our clients
> are getting IP addresses from. The server has DNS server installed.
> Here is the problem I have.
> Clients cannot join the domain unless I specifically set in network
> settings to point to the server as the preferred DNS server.
> If the client joins the domain these settings have to stay intact in order
> for the group policy to be applied. If I change the client's network
> settings to "Obtain DNS server address automatically" the client cannot
> join the domain and if it has joined already the group policy (such as
> Folder redirection) does not work.
> Is there a way to avoid changing user's network settings?
> Did I misconfigured DNS server?
>
> Please help.
> Thanks.
> Alex

I have a windows server 2003 acting as a domain controller. The server
> has static IP address. The ISP has its own DHCP server that all our
> clients are getting IP addresses from. The server has DNS server
> installed.
> Here is the problem I have.


Which server has DNS installed? Yours or the ISP? Is your ISP giving your
clients a DNS server? If so Which one?

Sounds like you are depending on your ISP to give your clients the DNS
server and they are not or they are giving them the wrong one. Run ipconfig
/all from command prompt with the setting enabled "Obtain DNS server address
automatically", is the DNS server the same as the one you manually input?

hth
DDS W 2k MVP MCSE

"Alex Khvatov" <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote in message
news:uP$(E-Mail Removed)...
> Hi.
> I have a windows server 2003 acting as a domain controller. The server has
> static IP address. The ISP has its own DHCP server that all our clients
> are getting IP addresses from. The server has DNS server installed.
> Here is the problem I have.
> Clients cannot join the domain unless I specifically set in network
> settings to point to the server as the preferred DNS server.
> If the client joins the domain these settings have to stay intact in order
> for the group policy to be applied. If I change the client's network
> settings to "Obtain DNS server address automatically" the client cannot
> join the domain and if it has joined already the group policy (such as
> Folder redirection) does not work.
> Is there a way to avoid changing user's network settings?
> Did I misconfigured DNS server?
>
> Please help.
> Thanks.
> Alex

Danny Sanders wrote:
> I have a windows server 2003 acting as a domain controller. The server
>
>>has static IP address. The ISP has its own DHCP server that all our
>>clients are getting IP addresses from. The server has DNS server
>>installed.
>>Here is the problem I have.
>
>
>
> Which server has DNS installed? Yours or the ISP? Is your ISP giving your
> clients a DNS server? If so Which one?
My ISP has its own DNS server and DHCP server. My server has DNS server
installed and running. Client's network settings are set to receive DHCP
autmatically from the ISP DNS.
>
> Sounds like you are depending on your ISP to give your clients the DNS
> server and they are not or they are giving them the wrong one. Run ipconfig
> /all from command prompt with the setting enabled "Obtain DNS server address
> automatically", is the DNS server the same as the one you manually input?
When I do that I get the IP address of ISP's DNS server.

>
> hth
> DDS W 2k MVP MCSE
>
> "Alex Khvatov" <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote in message
> news:uP$(E-Mail Removed)...
>
>>Hi.
>>I have a windows server 2003 acting as a domain controller. The server has
>>static IP address. The ISP has its own DHCP server that all our clients
>>are getting IP addresses from. The server has DNS server installed.
>>Here is the problem I have.
>>Clients cannot join the domain unless I specifically set in network
>>settings to point to the server as the preferred DNS server.
>>If the client joins the domain these settings have to stay intact in order
>>for the group policy to be applied. If I change the client's network
>>settings to "Obtain DNS server address automatically" the client cannot
>>join the domain and if it has joined already the group policy (such as
>>Folder redirection) does not work.
>>Is there a way to avoid changing user's network settings?
>>Did I misconfigured DNS server?
>>
>>Please help.
>>Thanks.
>>Alex
>
>
>