DNS Settings Windows Server 2003
Hi,
In my office we have a server with Windows 2003 Server, before explaining my problem I want to tell that I am very new for this server issues, the server its self is the DNS and DHCP server. Server Admin set all the DNS Settings for us but he is not with us, and I am the one who maintains all the things related to the server for now. Getting into my issue, recently we took a new internet connection for that internet connection all the DNS Settings are different from the older one. Now I want to set all the settings according to the new connection. As of now, we are doing it manually, manually in the sense logging into each and every system with the admin user and changing the DNS Settings. Before that that admin set all the settings in the Server only, so we just have to set IP address to obtain automatically and it was worked fine. Now, we have two internet connections, one is the main and the second one is the alternate, if the main is down we will use the alternate one. For that, changing the DNS settings in all the systems whenever we change the connection is became a difficult point. My question is, I just want to set all the settings in the server itself and whenever I change the internet connection it should provide all the systems without changing the settings in all systems. How can i do that? Is the information that I gave is sufficient or do u need more information? Please let me know and help me.
Thanks in advance.
In my office we have a server with Windows 2003 Server, before explaining my problem I want to tell that I am very new for this server issues, the server its self is the DNS and DHCP server. Server Admin set all the DNS Settings for us but he is not with us, and I am the one who maintains all the things related to the server for now. Getting into my issue, recently we took a new internet connection for that internet connection all the DNS Settings are different from the older one. Now I want to set all the settings according to the new connection. As of now, we are doing it manually, manually in the sense logging into each and every system with the admin user and changing the DNS Settings. Before that that admin set all the settings in the Server only, so we just have to set IP address to obtain automatically and it was worked fine. Now, we have two internet connections, one is the main and the second one is the alternate, if the main is down we will use the alternate one. For that, changing the DNS settings in all the systems whenever we change the connection is became a difficult point. My question is, I just want to set all the settings in the server itself and whenever I change the internet connection it should provide all the systems without changing the settings in all systems. How can i do that? Is the information that I gave is sufficient or do u need more information? Please let me know and help me.
Thanks in advance.
Papertrip
All of the machines on your internal network should have private addresses, so if the your external connection changes, your internal machine don't need to know about it. You DHCP server should be providing internal network information only.
I hope that I understand your question correctly and that my answer will be able to assist you. So here we go.
In your DNS you would have an entry for your "internet connection 1" for example proxyserver1 that points to 192.168.xxx.xxx right? So if you need to have all users change over to the other "internet connection 2" you would simply edit the DNS entry for "internet connection 1" to now point to "internet connection 2" IP
For Example
Internet Connection 1 has an IP of 192.168.10.10 (hostname proxy1)
Internet Connection 2 has an IP of 192.168.10.11 (hostname proxy2)
In your dns you would have an entry for proxy1 pointing to 192.168.10.10 and another entry for proxy2 pointing to 192.168.10.11
Now all your users are currently pointing to proxy1 (192.168.10.10) and for some reason the line goes down and you need to point your users to proxy2.
All you would need to do is change the A record IP address for proxy1 that is currently 192.168.10.10 to 192.168.10.11 (proxy2) which will route all internet traffic though to the second internet connection.
Hope this helps!!!
In your DNS you would have an entry for your "internet connection 1" for example proxyserver1 that points to 192.168.xxx.xxx right? So if you need to have all users change over to the other "internet connection 2" you would simply edit the DNS entry for "internet connection 1" to now point to "internet connection 2" IP
For Example
Internet Connection 1 has an IP of 192.168.10.10 (hostname proxy1)
Internet Connection 2 has an IP of 192.168.10.11 (hostname proxy2)
In your dns you would have an entry for proxy1 pointing to 192.168.10.10 and another entry for proxy2 pointing to 192.168.10.11
Now all your users are currently pointing to proxy1 (192.168.10.10) and for some reason the line goes down and you need to point your users to proxy2.
All you would need to do is change the A record IP address for proxy1 that is currently 192.168.10.10 to 192.168.10.11 (proxy2) which will route all internet traffic though to the second internet connection.
Hope this helps!!!
So, for DHCP Clients, the most simple way for that is to modify option 006 in DHCP Server management console under server/scope options (depends on your configuration). Put there DNS server IPs but only those local (for your domain). Clients should have only internal DNS server to prevent AD logon issues and other AD related stuff. Place in option 006 2 IPs for redundancy, then if one DNS server would fail, they still can access another one.
Next part is to configure your DNS server. You need to specify forwarders, to allow clients accessing the Internet resources. For that under Forwardes in DNS management console set up your ISP's DNS servers or any publicly available like Google (8.8.8.8 or/and 8.8.4.4)
now, you should have redundancy for your DNS server(s) on clients
How to set up forwaredrs, please check that
http://support.microsoft.com/kb/323380
http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/library/cc773370%28WS.10%29.aspx
Regards,
Krzysztof
Next part is to configure your DNS server. You need to specify forwarders, to allow clients accessing the Internet resources. For that under Forwardes in DNS management console set up your ISP's DNS servers or any publicly available like Google (8.8.8.8 or/and 8.8.4.4)
now, you should have redundancy for your DNS server(s) on clients
How to set up forwaredrs, please check that
http://support.microsoft.com/kb/323380
http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/library/cc773370%28WS.10%29.aspx
Regards,
Krzysztof
ASKER
HendrikWiese, its sounding good and looking like i understood what to do and same time i didn't understand anything :-)..as a basic user the terms are some difficult to understand for me. And one more thing is we are not at all using a proxy server. So please explain me clearly. Please
ASKER
trying to explain my problem clearly once again, in my server i have 2 connections 1 is LocalAreaConnection1 and the 2nd is LocalAreaConnection2, the IP for the 1 is 192.168.1.10 and for the 2nd the IP is 192.168.1.11
in the Internet Protocol (TCP/IP) Propterties the settings are like this for the first one
IP Address: 192.168.1.10
Subnet mask: 255.255.255.0
Default gateway: 192.168.1.1 <-- this is my modem's IP
Preferred DNS server: 123.456.789.0 <-- this is given by me Service Provider
Alternate DNS server: 123.456.789.1 <-- this is also given by me Service Provider
Internet Protocol (TCP/IP) Propterties the settings are like this for the second one
IP Address: 192.168.1.11
Subnet mask: 255.255.255.0
Default gateway: 192.168.1.10
Preferred DNS server: 192.168.1.10
Alternate DNS server: (this is left blank)
So i need to change the DNS settings given by my Second Service provider in all the systems..whenever the first one is down. but i want to use the second Service Provider's connection without changing in all the systems...how can i do this?
in the Internet Protocol (TCP/IP) Propterties the settings are like this for the first one
IP Address: 192.168.1.10
Subnet mask: 255.255.255.0
Default gateway: 192.168.1.1 <-- this is my modem's IP
Preferred DNS server: 123.456.789.0 <-- this is given by me Service Provider
Alternate DNS server: 123.456.789.1 <-- this is also given by me Service Provider
Internet Protocol (TCP/IP) Propterties the settings are like this for the second one
IP Address: 192.168.1.11
Subnet mask: 255.255.255.0
Default gateway: 192.168.1.10
Preferred DNS server: 192.168.1.10
Alternate DNS server: (this is left blank)
So i need to change the DNS settings given by my Second Service provider in all the systems..whenever the first one is down. but i want to use the second Service Provider's connection without changing in all the systems...how can i do this?
Hi, since I am on mobile it would be hard to send you the link for the following program, but you can just google the name to download it.
Ok so this is what I want you to do.
1. Get a machine that you can install "Free Proxy"
2. Using this application you can setup the specify what modem it needs to use when connecting the users to the internet.
3. After the setup, you open Internet Explorer and click Tools > Internet Options
4. Select the Connection tab and click on lan settings
5. Now in the proxy field, type the IP address of the machine that you installed free proxy on and insert port 80.
6. Now close Internet Explorer and re-open.
7. See if you can browse www.google.co.za
8. If your browsing works than you can setup all users to use that machine as a proxy.
Thus when the one line goes down you would only need to change the connection settings in the Free Proxy application and don't have to worry about changing anything on the users machines.
Hope this helps!!
Ok so this is what I want you to do.
1. Get a machine that you can install "Free Proxy"
2. Using this application you can setup the specify what modem it needs to use when connecting the users to the internet.
3. After the setup, you open Internet Explorer and click Tools > Internet Options
4. Select the Connection tab and click on lan settings
5. Now in the proxy field, type the IP address of the machine that you installed free proxy on and insert port 80.
6. Now close Internet Explorer and re-open.
7. See if you can browse www.google.co.za
8. If your browsing works than you can setup all users to use that machine as a proxy.
Thus when the one line goes down you would only need to change the connection settings in the Free Proxy application and don't have to worry about changing anything on the users machines.
Hope this helps!!
Hi CPSRI,
Few things to check on:
You mention that your 2003 server is for DNS and dhcp. but your comments suggest you are manually settings IP details on your PCs and are using external DNS addresses. This means that your server is providing neither DNS or DHCP to your network?
options:
Multiple settings:
Using 2 NICs to provide 2 settings doesnt work as the PCs may not always be aware that one NIC isnt working so the other one never gets tried.
YOu can use a SINGLE NIC but apply multipe settings to it. WHen setting the IP address, click 'advanced' and you cahn supply BOTH dns server IPs and also BOTH default Gateways.
The pc will automatically try the second IP for DNS and gateway if the first doesnt respond.
DHCP
if you set DHCP up and allow the PCs to get their settings from the server you can set all this automatcally. If the internet went down you just amend DHCP on the server and reboot/disconnect all PCs to force them to get new settings automatically.
You can also do the same as above and provide 2 x DNS and 2 x gateway settings via DHCP.
DNS server
YOu can also set all your PCs to use your 2003 DNS server by putting its IP in. You can then set the server's DNS settings to use both external DNS IPs so the PCs never have to worry about it. the server does all the work.
If you need help on a particular option let us know.
Few things to check on:
You mention that your 2003 server is for DNS and dhcp. but your comments suggest you are manually settings IP details on your PCs and are using external DNS addresses. This means that your server is providing neither DNS or DHCP to your network?
options:
Multiple settings:
Using 2 NICs to provide 2 settings doesnt work as the PCs may not always be aware that one NIC isnt working so the other one never gets tried.
YOu can use a SINGLE NIC but apply multipe settings to it. WHen setting the IP address, click 'advanced' and you cahn supply BOTH dns server IPs and also BOTH default Gateways.
The pc will automatically try the second IP for DNS and gateway if the first doesnt respond.
DHCP
if you set DHCP up and allow the PCs to get their settings from the server you can set all this automatcally. If the internet went down you just amend DHCP on the server and reboot/disconnect all PCs to force them to get new settings automatically.
You can also do the same as above and provide 2 x DNS and 2 x gateway settings via DHCP.
DNS server
YOu can also set all your PCs to use your 2003 DNS server by putting its IP in. You can then set the server's DNS settings to use both external DNS IPs so the PCs never have to worry about it. the server does all the work.
If you need help on a particular option let us know.
In a Windows server Domain, which is what you have, your workstations need to point to the server for DNS. The server should point to itself for DNS which means the server has a static IP address assigned to it.
The DNS server settings have a forwarder option. If it is used you will need to change it to your new external DNS server IP addresses. If it is not used the DNS server will still work. Your server will need to have the correct gateway address for your current internet connection.
This gateway address will need to be installed in the DHCP servers scope options. You should also have the address of your server installed in the scope for the DNS server options.
When a workstation negotiates with the DHCP server it will be given the DNS server and Gateway addresses that you set up in the DHCP scope.
Windows server 2003 Domain use DNS for name resolution. You must have all of your systems(servers/workstatio
Make sure the DHCP server is disabled in your internet router. If you have more than one DHCP server the second server to go into the network will disable itself. Since you would normally have your router allready turned on that would mean that the Windows servers DHCP server would disable itself.
The DNS server settings have a forwarder option. If it is used you will need to change it to your new external DNS server IP addresses. If it is not used the DNS server will still work. Your server will need to have the correct gateway address for your current internet connection.
This gateway address will need to be installed in the DHCP servers scope options. You should also have the address of your server installed in the scope for the DNS server options.
When a workstation negotiates with the DHCP server it will be given the DNS server and Gateway addresses that you set up in the DHCP scope.
Windows server 2003 Domain use DNS for name resolution. You must have all of your systems(servers/workstatio
Make sure the DHCP server is disabled in your internet router. If you have more than one DHCP server the second server to go into the network will disable itself. Since you would normally have your router allready turned on that would mean that the Windows servers DHCP server would disable itself.
ASKER
thank you HendrikWiese, in all the comments your comment is closer to me, as i am new guy to all these server issues. Please allow me some time to set up like you said..ill get back to you with my comments.
ASKER
HendrikWiese, I think i need the links...please, can u send the links?
Please find links below:
Handcrafted Software wrote the application. You can download it from their site and also look for solutions to any issues that you might run into.
http://www.handcraftedsoftware.org/index.php?page=download
Handcrafted Software wrote the application. You can download it from their site and also look for solutions to any issues that you might run into.
http://www.handcraftedsoftware.org/index.php?page=download
ASKER
Thanks HendrikWiese, for the link. I downloaded and installed it but I am unable to use/configure it. Can you please help on this?
Have a look at the following link to setup FreeProxy: http://www.handcraftedsoftware.org/index.php?page=faq&op=read&id=43
Just a quick one, with regards to the steps I mentioned above: If you follow the setup guide I mentioned above you would have to change the port mentioned in step 5 to port 8080 rather than 80 as suggested.
And you would also not need to do the following step "Set up an tunnel connection" as you are not going to use it.
ASKER
No its not working out for me, the screens in the link that you gave me and the screens that i have in the installed program are totally different. Is there any other way to resolve my issue?
Will try to load it on a test machine tomorrow and give you feedback. Unless there is a FreeProxy expert that can give us some input.
@CPSRI
This is poor workaround for a simple issue.I'd recommend revisting my post above to see if you can implement a more resilient solution.
This is poor workaround for a simple issue.I'd recommend revisting my post above to see if you can implement a more resilient solution.
If you change the DHCP scope in the server you don't need to run to each computer and make the changes. You can also get a router that will allow a failover to a backup internet connection. I beleive the Watchguard Fireboxes will do that for you.
On the other hand, as long as you set the router for the new internet connection to the same internal ip address as your previous router you should not need to change anything. With the servers DNS forwarders left blank it will still work.
On the other hand, as long as you set the router for the new internet connection to the same internal ip address as your previous router you should not need to change anything. With the servers DNS forwarders left blank it will still work.
ASKER
HendrikWiese, did you get any chance/time to test it?
Will download and try to test quick, only have 30min before my next meeting so will try to let you know before then.
ASKER
totallytonto, i tried with DNS as you said in your comment, but it not worked out. I gave the DNS settings and the default gateway in the server, and i tried by switching off one of the router but it wont work.
Do an ipconfig /all and post.
I have now posted an article with regards to the installation of FreeProxy: FreeProxy 4.10 - Installing and Configuring
Hope this helps!!!
Hope this helps!!!
ASKER
hi,
Please Give me some more time to solve my issue. I am busy with some other work . Thanks .
Please Give me some more time to solve my issue. I am busy with some other work . Thanks .
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ASKER
i tried all(almost) the comments but none has worked out for me, i am changing the settings manually..