Small home network with Active Directory

Hello,

I am running Windows Server 2008 with Active Directory. I have one desktop that is hard wired to the router, and several laptops that is wirelessly connected to the network. I have looked all over the internet and just cannot find an answer to my issue.

Each laptop and desktop, under the TCP/IP settings, I specified the static DNS address to the domain controller's IP, instead of getting it from the router. This is a pain because if I take my laptop somewhere else I have to change the DNS settings to automatic, then change them back when I get home. Also, if the domain controller is down, then I won't have access to the internet.

Therefore, how can I tinker with the DHCP and DNS servers so the laptops don't have to specific the DNS address of the domain controller? I have both DNS and DHCP installed on the domain controller. The network settings for the domain is:

IP: 192.168.1.160
Netmask: 255.255.255.0
Gateway 192.168.1.1

I am unable to ping the domain-name of the domain controller, unless the DNS address is stated in the TCP/IP settings. I need somehow the DHCP server to point/forward to the DNS settings so laptops can communicate with the domain.

I very much appreciate any assistance with this!

Under your DHCP scope, for scope options, you need to edit option #006 for DNS entires. Specify the DNS ip address that should be handed out when one of your computers requests an IP lease from the DHCP server.

Thank you for providing a response, I really appreciate.

I am relatively new to this process, so would you be able to clarify what settings I should be doing? If it helps, the IP address of my gateway (router) is 192.168.1.1, and the IP address of the domain controller (with DNS, DHCP) is 192.168.1.160. I assume within the DNS/DHCP server on the domain controller I need to point to 192.168.1.1 (the router). Just not sure how.

Again, thanks very much!

Hi Cooper,

For Server 2008, you will do the following:

1. Go to Start>Administrative Tools>DHCP.
2. Expand your domain name (i.e., mydomain.local).
3. Expand IPV4
4. Click on your scope you created (i.e., 192.168.1.0)
5. Right click Scope Options>Configure
6. Set setting 003 to your gateway's IP of 192.168.1.1, setting 006 to your DNS server's IP of 192.168.1.160
7. Don't forget to hit apply

Thank you seack,

I did this and it worked!!!! The TCP/IP settings on the clients are all dynamic, and it points to the DNS server of the domain. Thanks very much!! I have one more question to see if this is possible.

Like I said, this is a home network, with domain controller. To save electricity I shut down the domain at 10:00 PM and have it start at 8:00 AM. I have DHCP disabled on my Linksys router so DHCP runs off of the domain. With this setup, anytime our clients try to access the internet after 10:00 PM it would not be able to connect, unless we point the DNS to the router.

Is there any way for the clients to point to the router IP (192.168.1.1) while the domain is off?

An obvious fix is to bite the bullet and keep domain on 24/7 but if this can be accomplished that would be awesome.

Thanks very much for your assistance, I very much appreciate it!!!

I have read MANY articles on active directory/dns/dhcp, and the ALL say to disable DHCP on the router. Is it possible to enable DHCP on the router as well as the domain, but make the domain primary, and if the domain is off use the router for DHCP?

This is the only thing I can think of.

Not really. If you're running Active Directory on your server, which you are, it relies heavily on DNS and DHCP to be ran on the server itself. You will want to turn DHCP off on the router you're using.

What model router are you using? Most are fairly easy to turn DHCP off.

Seack,

I have a Cisco E1000. I already have DHCP disabled on it. Again, I automatically have it shutdown 10 hours overnight. Generally, we don't use the internet/network during these hours, which is why I shut it down.

But, if we were to access the internet the DHCP on the domain would be down, and it's disabled on the router.

Do I have any options, other than keeping the domain on 24/7?

I would just keep it on 24/7. Servers at idle really don't use too much power now-a-days. Besides, you wouldn't have come here asking for help if it wasn't a problem that's starting to bug you. Your sanity about it is worth more than the few extra bucks per month on your power bill.

I like how you think . I appreciate you're help today!! You've made a big difference, and thank you for that!

simply create two network connection configure 1st for your home network & 2nd for other.

Are you talking about multiple wireless connections? The first being the home network which points to domain for DNS and DHCP, and a second one JUST for the internet? If that's what you're talking about, that may be a good idea.

I have a second Cisco router with DD-WRT flashed on it and I use it as a wireless repeater. I may be able to add a guest network on that. I will have to take a look.