Solved Joining Vista to Domain Problem

I was having a terrible time getting a new Vista workstation to join the
domain at work. The solution for me was to go into the TCP/IP settings on
the Vista machine and make sure the DNS address listed first was that of our
local DC (which is also our file server). The secondary address is that of
our ISP's servers. XP didn't have a problem when only our ISP's DNS address
was listed but Vista needs the DNS address of our server explicitly.
Since our server is also a DHCP server, I could also add our server's DNS
address there and let the workstations stay set to "Obtain DNS server
address automatically".

Hope this will help someone!

Tom Lake

Thank you for the update. For the security and performance, you should use
the internal DNS only.

--
Bob Lin, MS-MVP, MCSE & CNE
Networking, Internet, Routing, VPN Troubleshooting on
http://www.ChicagoTech.net
How to Setup Windows, Network, VPN & Remote Access on
http://www.HowToNetworking.com


<toml_12953@hotmail.com> wrote in message
news:8BBD26E2-71A6-4552-9DC5-B191F1804D44@microsoft.com...
>I was having a terrible time getting a new Vista workstation to join the
>domain at work. The solution for me was to go into the TCP/IP settings on
>the Vista machine and make sure the DNS address listed first was that of
>our local DC (which is also our file server). The secondary address is
>that of our ISP's servers. XP didn't have a problem when only our ISP's
>DNS address was listed but Vista needs the DNS address of our server
>explicitly.
> Since our server is also a DHCP server, I could also add our server's DNS
> address there and let the workstations stay set to "Obtain DNS server
> address automatically".
>
> Hope this will help someone!
>
> Tom Lake

"Robert L (MS-MVP)" <noreply@chicagotech.net> wrote in message
news:OvgyLxUDIHA.4584@TK2MSFTNGP03.phx.gbl...
> Thank you for the update. For the security and performance, you should use
> the internal DNS only.

When I tried that, I could no longer access the Internet from the
workstation.

Tom Lake

toml_12953@hotmail.com wrote:
>
>
> "Robert L (MS-MVP)" <noreply@chicagotech.net> wrote in message
> news:OvgyLxUDIHA.4584@TK2MSFTNGP03.phx.gbl...
>> Thank you for the update. For the security and performance, you should
>> use the internal DNS only.
>
> When I tried that, I could no longer access the Internet from the
> workstation.

Then you probably forgot to set forward/reverse lookup zones on the
server. Briefly, correct DNS set up needs the server to only look to
itself for DNS with the lookup zones set for Internet access. All
workstations should only look to the server for DNS.


Malke
--
Elephant Boy Computers
www.elephantboycomputers.com
"Don't Panic!"
MS-MVP Windows - Shell/User

"Malke" <notreally@invalid.invalid> wrote in message
news:O4IooZZDIHA.5228@TK2MSFTNGP05.phx.gbl...
> toml_12953@hotmail.com wrote:
>>
>>
>> "Robert L (MS-MVP)" <noreply@chicagotech.net> wrote in message
>> news:OvgyLxUDIHA.4584@TK2MSFTNGP03.phx.gbl...
>>> Thank you for the update. For the security and performance, you should
>>> use the internal DNS only.
>>
>> When I tried that, I could no longer access the Internet from the
>> workstation.
>
> Then you probably forgot to set forward/reverse lookup zones on the
> server. Briefly, correct DNS set up needs the server to only look to
> itself for DNS with the lookup zones set for Internet access. All
> workstations should only look to the server for DNS.

Thanks! I'll check it on Monday when I'm back at work. I do know I have
forward and reverse lookup zones but I don't know if they're set for
Internet access.

Tom Lake

<toml_12953@hotmail.com> wrote in message
news:1D1DD465-F8E4-4A59-AA4A-57F94C805517@microsoft.com...
>
>
> "Robert L (MS-MVP)" <noreply@chicagotech.net> wrote in message
> news:OvgyLxUDIHA.4584@TK2MSFTNGP03.phx.gbl...
>> Thank you for the update. For the security and performance, you should
>> use the internal DNS only.
>
> When I tried that, I could no longer access the Internet from the
> workstation.
>


You need to setup root hints or forwarders on your internal DNS server then
have all clients use only the internal DNS server. Removing the ISPs DNS
will probably speed up the XP clients for some network operations as well as
make Vista work properly.

I recommend you use forwarders. If your server is SBS 2003 then running the
IECW wizard will setup DNS and DHCP for you.

http://technet2.microsoft.com/window....mspx?mfr=true

http://technet2.microsoft.com/window....mspx?mfr=true

http://support.microsoft.com/kb/323380

--
Kerry Brown
Microsoft MVP - Shell/User
http://www.vistahelp.ca

"Kerry Brown" <kerry@kdbNOSPAMsys-tems.c*a*m> wrote in message
news:06EA933F-1AE7-4807-BE08-A6F4CF3FE4DD@microsoft.com...
> <toml_12953@hotmail.com> wrote in message
> news:1D1DD465-F8E4-4A59-AA4A-57F94C805517@microsoft.com...
>>
>>
>> "Robert L (MS-MVP)" <noreply@chicagotech.net> wrote in message
>> news:OvgyLxUDIHA.4584@TK2MSFTNGP03.phx.gbl...
>>> Thank you for the update. For the security and performance, you should
>>> use the internal DNS only.

I have it all working now with the DHCP server handing out our server's DNS
address (rather than our ISP's DNS address) along with an IP address.
You're right; The remaining XP machines log on faster and we can still
access the Internet.

Thank you so much to all who responded!

Tom Lake

"Tom Lake" <tlake@twcny.rr.com> wrote in message
news:Opo0m6yDIHA.5980@TK2MSFTNGP04.phx.gbl...
>
> I have it all working now with the DHCP server handing out our server's
> DNS address (rather than our ISP's DNS address) along with an IP address.
> You're right; The remaining XP machines log on faster and we can still
> access the Internet.
>
> Thank you so much to all who responded!
>


You're welcome.

--
Kerry Brown
Microsoft MVP - Shell/User
http://www.vistahelp.ca