Help with DNS set up on only DC to join computers to domain
Greetings,
I need to configure DNS on a win 2012 r2 DC so I can join computers to this new domain. It is the only DC. Currently, DNS and DHCP are handled by a router at 192.168.1.1. I am concerned that workgroup computers getting DNS / IP addresses from the router will lose network / internet connection if DNS and DHCP are switched to the server. This could be troublesome as I am doing this remotely. Perhaps I am incorrect about the computers losing connection though.
Should I leave DNS / DHCP on the router? Or, do I need to run those services from the server, at least DNS, for the domain to properly function?
Help and understanding of how this works is appreciated.
I need to configure DNS on a win 2012 r2 DC so I can join computers to this new domain. It is the only DC. Currently, DNS and DHCP are handled by a router at 192.168.1.1. I am concerned that workgroup computers getting DNS / IP addresses from the router will lose network / internet connection if DNS and DHCP are switched to the server. This could be troublesome as I am doing this remotely. Perhaps I am incorrect about the computers losing connection though.
Should I leave DNS / DHCP on the router? Or, do I need to run those services from the server, at least DNS, for the domain to properly function?
Help and understanding of how this works is appreciated.
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Thanks for the quick replies everyone.
Going backwards:
yo_bee: It is the first and only DC. It is already on-site. There are only 6 computers in this small business, all still in workgroup. I do not have the router login info yet. I am not sure they even know it. Someone set it up over a year ago and isn't around anymore. I will configure the DNS forwarder but may need to leave DHCP on the router for a while, if I can't get into it, or I may just set a range outside of that used by the router. However, without logging in to see the range, that may not be possible. Thanks for the links.
MAS EE MVE: Thanks for the links as well. I will integrate AD / DHCP / DNS accordingly, or at least DNS for now.
Cliff: I thought domain-joined computers, or to even join the domain, DNS on the DC is required so thanks for confirming. Thankfully it's only 6 computers so I won't need to deal with a separate network or VLAN here as they will all be joined. I may leave DHCP on the router, especially since I a may not be able to login to it and don't really fell the need to reset and reconfigure it.
I was concerned about DNS on the DC affecting workgroup computers but if they get DNS from the router and don't even "talk" to the DC for DNS info, there shouldn't be an issue.
However, once joined, they will get DNS info from the DC and DHCP from the router, which also gives DNS info. Will that cause an issue?
Thanks again everyone.
Going backwards:
yo_bee: It is the first and only DC. It is already on-site. There are only 6 computers in this small business, all still in workgroup. I do not have the router login info yet. I am not sure they even know it. Someone set it up over a year ago and isn't around anymore. I will configure the DNS forwarder but may need to leave DHCP on the router for a while, if I can't get into it, or I may just set a range outside of that used by the router. However, without logging in to see the range, that may not be possible. Thanks for the links.
MAS EE MVE: Thanks for the links as well. I will integrate AD / DHCP / DNS accordingly, or at least DNS for now.
Cliff: I thought domain-joined computers, or to even join the domain, DNS on the DC is required so thanks for confirming. Thankfully it's only 6 computers so I won't need to deal with a separate network or VLAN here as they will all be joined. I may leave DHCP on the router, especially since I a may not be able to login to it and don't really fell the need to reset and reconfigure it.
I was concerned about DNS on the DC affecting workgroup computers but if they get DNS from the router and don't even "talk" to the DC for DNS info, there shouldn't be an issue.
However, once joined, they will get DNS info from the DC and DHCP from the router, which also gives DNS info. Will that cause an issue?
Thanks again everyone.
What type of router? You maybe able to reset it to factory default. That maybe an option that will work for you. Being that it is such a small network I would almost recommend starting over and rebuild it from the ground up. It may be the quicker of all methods to try and shoehorn this setup to meet you vision.
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Agree with Cliff.
We had a discussion regarding the same and concluded to use DHCP on server.
We had a discussion regarding the same and concluded to use DHCP on server.
ASKER
Thanks everyone. Looks like I will reset the router (a Linksys) and reconfigure network to use DC for DHCP and DNS.
For now, I am thinking of setting all computers to static and setting the DC (192.168.1.100) as DNS and router as default gateway (192.168.1.1). Since I don't have the ISP info, can I set the DC to point to the router for DNS (point DC to 192.168.1.1) and also a google DNS server? One issue I thought of is that 3 of the computers are laptops and since they will leave the office setting a static IP could be problematic when they leave.
Thanks again for all the help.
For now, I am thinking of setting all computers to static and setting the DC (192.168.1.100) as DNS and router as default gateway (192.168.1.1). Since I don't have the ISP info, can I set the DC to point to the router for DNS (point DC to 192.168.1.1) and also a google DNS server? One issue I thought of is that 3 of the computers are laptops and since they will leave the office setting a static IP could be problematic when they leave.
Thanks again for all the help.
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Got it. Thanks for the info Cliff.
I am going to install DNS on the DC and just leave it as is from the wizard and point to itself. Though, I thought it would need to point to some external DNS server or at least the router. Forgive my lack of knowledge on configuring a new DC, and the only one in the network, with DNS. It's not even fully in production but since I need to work on it remotely I don't want to incorrectly configure this and lose access.
I will leave computers at DHCP from router (at least for a few days until I get out to the site and get router login info or reset it) but configure NICs on the computers to use the DC and the router for DNS.
I am also going to add a google or an opendns server in case a laptop leaves the office. Since I will have set static DNS servers, which may prevent the laptop from getting a DNS server from a DHCP server outside of the network, I think I need to do this.
Does that sound like a decent plan until DHCP/DNS can be reconfigured on the router and set all to DHCP/DNS from DC?
Thanks again.
I am going to install DNS on the DC and just leave it as is from the wizard and point to itself. Though, I thought it would need to point to some external DNS server or at least the router. Forgive my lack of knowledge on configuring a new DC, and the only one in the network, with DNS. It's not even fully in production but since I need to work on it remotely I don't want to incorrectly configure this and lose access.
I will leave computers at DHCP from router (at least for a few days until I get out to the site and get router login info or reset it) but configure NICs on the computers to use the DC and the router for DNS.
I am also going to add a google or an opendns server in case a laptop leaves the office. Since I will have set static DNS servers, which may prevent the laptop from getting a DNS server from a DHCP server outside of the network, I think I need to do this.
Does that sound like a decent plan until DHCP/DNS can be reconfigured on the router and set all to DHCP/DNS from DC?
Thanks again.
There is no need to set static addresses accept for servers and printers. All workstations should use DHCP to configure the clients ip and dns. As you are concerned with laptops this is the exact reason why.
You should be fine with the reset of the router as long as you are getting the ISP for the router via DHCP. If not you will have to contact the ISP for this info to statically set the WAN port.
You should be fine with the reset of the router as long as you are getting the ISP for the router via DHCP. If not you will have to contact the ISP for this info to statically set the WAN port.
Do not set any dns setting statically. This will cause internal issues with your domain. Your dns server will handle all requests both internal and external.
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Thanks all. I am just going to wait to reconfigure router before completing domain. I did set up DNS on server and pointed one machine to it to test and I was able to join the domain, but didn't.
If you want different machines to use different DNS settings,. That means static configuration on some or all machines instead of DHCP. Or as previously mentioned, separate networks with their own separate DHCP servers.
DHCP on the DC or the router is personal preference. There is no requirement for one or the other. I'm a purist and don't run non-essential roles on my domain controllers. But that's just me.