Accessing Company Sharepoint Site from internal LAN using domain name

Set up a DNS server and add a zone for 'domainname.org'.
Add an A record of 'share' and give it the internal IP address.

Configure the machines to use your DNS server and set the DNS server to forward requests it doesn't have answers for.

Dave Dietz

Alternatively, you can configure internal vs external URLs through the Central Administration.  Once you're in Central Administration, open the "Operations" section (the middle tab at the top).  On the right, under "Global Configuration" is "Alternate access mappings."  Once here, make sure your site is selected on the right for "Alternate Access Mapping Collection."  If it is not, pull the menu down, click the "Change Alternate Access Mapping Collection" link, and select your SharePoint site.  Once it's selected, click the "Edit Public URLs" link.  This page allows you to set the various URLs that SharePoint will recognize and properly map to.  Your external "http://share.domainname.org" should be listed under Internet or Default.  You can then add an internal site URL.

For this internal URL, you can just use the hostname ("http://hostname") or you can create a new URL based on your internal domain name ("http://share.domainname.local").

jrittenh: Before I attempted to follow your directions, which I think will solve our problem, I first tried the internal IP address again, and this time I could not even bring up the Sharepoint site at all. Depending on the URL I use, either the IP address, or the IP address/default.aspx, I get an "Under Construction" page and this message: "The site you are trying to view does not currently have a default page. It may be in the process of being upgraded and configured. ".  When I add the default.aspx to the URL, it says: "HTTP 404. The resource you are looking for cannot be found".  I must have touched something in the IIS Mgr. that caused this, but when I open IIS is looks Ok. Can you give me any advice as to why I can't pull up the main Sharepoint page?

It sounds like the SharePoint web site isn't the IIS site responding on port 80 anymore.  I'd check and make sure the "SharePoint - 80" (or whatever site has the SharePoint files/folders) site is running, and that it's on port 80.

No, the Sharepoint site is running, and in fact I can't find anything that looks out of place on the server. I may just have to reinstall Sharepoint. But thanks for all the help so far.

Can you pull up the Central Administration page or is that not responding either?  I've had issues with the SharePoint site I was able to resolve through the Central Administration site.  If you can open that, you may be able to avoid a full reinstall.

I have no problem accessing the Central Admin page. And just to reiterate, I can access our Sharepoint site from outside the building, using it's assigned domain name, with no problems. It seems like when accessing it through the internal IP address or the servername, it cannot find the default page, and so far I cannot figure out why.

It looks like we're having a similar problem now.  Have you tried multiple computers?  We currently can access our site from SOME computers but not others.  We may be putting a call into MS on Monday.  I'll let you know what we find.

Have you tried Firefox?  We've found that Firefox works constantly.  IE only works part of the time from some computers.  We have a case open with MS but we're waiting on them to get back to us.  We're experiencing additional issues now though.  I'll let you know what our resolution is in case it can resolve your issue as well.

I just downloaded Firefox and tried it, and there was no difference. It still cannot find the default.aspx page. Anything else that you can suggest trying?

I'm all out.  We're migrating to a new server.  Microsoft couldn't suggest more than reinstalling or moving SP.  Any luck on your end?

I haven't had the time lately to work on the SP problem. Maybe next week, and I am thinking of just reinstalling it, as it had been working for a while before the problem occurred. I will let you know what happens. Should we keep this issue active for a while longer, or close it?
Thanks for your help so far.

OK, thanks for the advice. I'll let you know when I try it. So yes, please keep the issue open for a while longer. I should be able to get to this before the end of next week.

I am accepting your answers in order to close the question. I have had to put this project on hold, so I don't actually know whether the solutions offered will work. But when I can get back to it I will try what you have suggested. Thanks!!