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maritoboy

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Small Business Server 2003 Setup Questions

Hi all,

OK, I am new to client-server networks, and here at my business I am supposed to configure one. We just purchased an entry-level server (Gateway 920) with Microsoft Windows Server 2003 Small Business Server. I got two network adapters in the server, one for the internet, the other for the local network. Right now we still have a peer-to-peer network, which this new client-server model is supposed to replace.

I can browse the internet just fine; the first trouble I'm having is setting up individual client computers as users/clients. I went through the wizard of the "To Do List" and it worked fine on the server end, but when I go to the client PC and try to connect to the server to finish the installation on that end, I get an error message telling me that files that are critical to the Client Setup cannot be copied to this client computer and that the network administrator needs to reinstall the "Client Deployment" thing on the server. But that doesn't make sense. I already reinstalled it and there is no difference. Oh, it DOES download a file called "moveuser.exe"--right while the error message appears.

Does the client PC perhaps first have to log on to the .local domain of the server? That would make sense to me, but there were no instructions of this sort anywhere. Right now it's part of our peer-to-peer network. Does the client PC have to have its computer name and workgroup or domain name as specified by the server? Like, I added myself as user "MarioD" on the server, but my client PC's computer name is "GW500SE." Is that a problem? The client PC is running Windows XP Professional, so there's no problem in that area.

Now, interestingly enough, I HAVE been able to access the server with the client PC the peer-to-peer way, under "Microsoft Windows Network." Don't ask me how or why that works. I have also tried changing my client PC's domain (using My Computer > right click > Properties) to the one of the server but it told me "domain controller for [domain] could not be contacted." Sigh.

I don't understand how this client setup is supposed to work anyway. When setting up a client PC on the server, I am never asked to specify the IP address of the client PC. How is the server supposed to know which PC is the client PC? On the client PC, I am only asked to enter "http://SERVER/ConnectComputer" -- how is the client PC supposed to know where the server is?

So, what do I do now? Where do I go from here?
As you can see, I am new to this. :)

I will not be able to work on this again until Monday, so you can take your time in replying until then. :) Thanks for your help!
Avatar of jodypeet
jodypeet

what you first need to do is join the PC to the domain.
Right click my computer| Properties | Identification. check the radio button for domain and type in the domain name you chose in your setup.
authenticate as the domain administrator. click ok
once completed reboot pc .
Avatar of maritoboy

ASKER

I think I did that already and got the response "domain controller for [domain] could not be contacted." I can't try it now because I am not in the office, but I think this is what I got when I tried to do that. Do I have to change something perhaps on the server end?
check the tcp/ip settings on you client pc.
they should be set to receive an address automatically. Your Server should be running DHCP to hand out address' to the client pc's , and in the scope options you should have the servers address as a DNS server also.
Are all the clients XP or 2000 ? or do you have some 98's.
ASKER CERTIFIED SOLUTION
Avatar of Jeffrey Kane - TechSoEasy
Jeffrey Kane - TechSoEasy
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Jodypeet,

Thanks for your help. Yes, the TCP/IP is set to configure IP addresses automatically. Right now I'm trying this with only one client PC to see if I can get it running with at least one. That one's running Win XP Pro. Most of the future client PCs have XP Pro, one has Win 2000 Pro, and two have Win 98, and I know I'm going to have to upgrade those to XP Pro.

I checked if my server was running DHCP, and it was not. So I added my server (I gave it an IP address of 192.168.1.109, which is within the same ranger of the other IP addresses on the PEER-TO-PEER network, I hope that was right) but it won't let me add a new scope.

I think I'm going to get Windows 2003 Server for Dummies. What do you think? :)

Mario
Jodypeet,

Is it really a good idea to let the server hand out IP addresses to the clients? Isn't it better if the IP addresses for each client are always the same (static)?

Mario
Thank you for your help, Jeff. You've referred me to some important resources. Let me see how the rest goes, so that when I close the thread I can award the points most appropriately.

Mario
You're quite welcome... a couple of other points...

You generally DO want the SBS to be providing DHCP, unless its to an asset that requires a static IP.  Generally, client computers don't need this.  

The recommended IP range for SBS is 192.168.16.x, with the SBS being 192.168.16.2.

Lastly, don't go buying any books that are for Windows Server 2003.  The SBS is a completely different animal.  While it is true that it is running the full Windows Server 2003, there are a number of very different best practices due to the fact that all services are running in the same box.
(ie, For enterprise, it is a best practice to NOT run IIS on the same box as your DC... but of course, that's exactly how SBS is configured.  Also, the Server Management console is completely different in SBS).  

So... take a look at the book I recommended, I know you'll be happy with the results.
OK, thanks. One more thing. I have two network adapters on the server, one for the internet connection (directly to the modem) and the other for the local area network (goes into the router). I have different static IP addresses for each of the adapters. Is that ok/good?

Mario
First, if you are going to change anything regarding your network routing in the SBS, ALWAYS run the "Configure E-mail and Internet Connection Wizard".  There are a number of tasks that the wizard does in the background, such as revising DNS scopes, that will save you a lot of time in trying to figure out why your server isn't working.

Next... the network card that connects to the internet is your "WAN card" and it should either be getting it's IP address dynamically from your ISP, or if you have static IP's you should assign the WAN IP and Gateway according to the instructions from your ISP.  The other card is your "LAN card" and should be 192.168.16.2 if you use the suggested default.  I don't suggest that you use a ROUTER between the SBS and your LAN... you should be using a SWITCH, which will work much faster and adjusts dynamically.

Jeff
TechSoEasy
Jeff, do you think I can do without a router altogether? When we signed up for broadband internet service a few years ago, they told us we needed to get a router. Right now in our peer-to-peer network, we have the internet modem connected to the router, which in turn is connected to the switch. The internet modem itself includes a router also, though, I think.

Mario
If you are using 2 NICs, the SBS is your router.  You didn't mention if you have SBS Standard or Premium... if Premium, you have ISA which is a pretty effective firewall.  If you don't have that, you can stick the router between the SBS and your DSL/Cable modem to use as a firewall and if it has UPnP, the SBS will automatically configure it.

I will suggest again that you download the Microsoft Install White Paper, it describes all of this in detail, and is pretty easy to understand.  You really should read through that before making any other changes.

http://www.microsoft.com/technet/prodtechnol/sbs/2003/plan/gsg/default.mspx

Jeff
TechSoEasy
Jeff,

I have SBS Standard, I think, because it says nothing of Premium. It just says Small Business Server.

I just ordered the SBS 2003 Best Practices Book. Thanks for the recommendation. Now, I reinstalled the whole OS and it went pretty well. Now I'm again at hooking up the first client PC. As you suggested, I gave the server 192.168.16.2 as its IP address for the LAN. I put the client PC within that range. But what should I choose for "default gateway" on the client PC? What about preferred and alternate DNS?

Mario
Have you done the "To Do" list from the server management console?  Make sure you do that in order.

If you let DHCP run on the SBS, you won't have to worry about any of that.  But in case you still don't want to do that, the gateway would be 192.168.16.2... remember your SBS is your router.

Also, if you've ordered Harry Brelsford's book... you'll be getting an email shortly with a link to download a PDF of the entire book so you can use it right away.  

Jeff
TechSoEasy
Jeff, now I am desperate! I want to run the "Connect to the Internet" wizard, and I get a message saying that "the wizard cannot set the DHCP scope options." Ah!! I checked the PDF version of SBS 2003 Best Practices, and it doesn't even have DHCP in the index! Now what?

Mario
When are you getting that error message?  After what screen?
After I click on the Internet Connection wizard thingy in the Management Console. I just checked the Microsoft newsgroup and others say it may be the fact that the Linksys router I have also has DHCP enabled. That is true, but I am not connected to that router with the internet-modem NIC (I have two NICs), that is, with the NIC that goes into the internet modem.

I went into the DHCP console and it says "cannot find the DHCP server" and that it "cannot be located." It also says the "DHCP server is not running on the target computer."

What a nightmare! All I want to do is connect one single client PC to my server! :)
DHCP runs throughout your network... in all directions.  TURN OFF DHCP in the Linksys router.  USE the SBS for DHCP.  The SBS will also configure the Linksys router properly... as long as the Linksys has UPnP is enabled, and DHCP is disabled.

This is why I stressed following the step-by-step installation.

OK, I will do that. I checked my router's settings and I saw nothing of UPnP anywhere, so I don't know what will happen with that......