Windows Server 2003 and Xp Pro home setup help

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MadAsHeck

Limp Gawd
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Feb 16, 2005
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I'm trying to study to take some of the MCSE tests so I've setup two old computers, one with Windows XP Server 2k3 and the other with Windows Xp Pro.
The problem is I can't get the XP Pro machine to see the Server 2k3 machine.

I'm not positive, but I think the problem is that I am using a Linksys router for connecting the machines together. They are both able to get to the internet and ping to the router, but neither machine can ping to each other.

Currently my cable modem is connected to the Linksys router and then the machines are connected to the router. I have tried setting the Server 2k3 to static IP and have tried switching the router to being a gateway, but nothing has worked.

Is it necessary for me to get a small 4 port hub to connect them? Or is there something I am doing wrong that they should be able to connect to one another currently?
 
You might want to check the firewalls on both systems and see if they are turned on. If so, turn them off as they will be more of a hindrance for what you are trying to do.

If you router is setup as a DHCP server, then you'll want to make both systems acquire their IP's from the router.

You won't need a hub to connect them as your router has a 4 port switch built into it. As long as both computers can access the internet, and are getting their IP from the router, then they should be able to see each other.

You might also want to make sure they are both in the same workgroup, though this is just a formality and has no bearing on the ability to ping. You might want to try to setup a shared folder on the XP machine and see if you can then see it on the network. I'm thinking that your firewalls are "On" on both machines.
 
Put them both into the same workgroup, as mentioned above, and try pinging them by IP first. Also, as mentioned, check the firewalls. If you disable both firewalls, and you can ping each system, then you know where the problem lies.
 
Sorry, didn't get into to much depth because I am writting this at work.

I have tried having them both aquire ip address automatically and also by having the win server 2k3 assigned a static ip.

I'm trying to setup a domain from the server 2k3 computer and I can't get the XP pro computer to join the domain. I need this to work to continue my MSCE studies.

I've tried disabling the firewall on both machines to no effect, also from the router.

Like I said, they can ping to the router fine and get to the internet on their own, but cant ping to each other.
 
This is the easiest answer,

Your PC needs to be using the server as its DNS server, your router has no idea what your domain name is when the PC asks it.
Your server should be doing AD, DNS and DHCP, (DHCP and DNS shouldnt be done by the router)
 
dbwillis said:
This is the easiest answer,

Your PC needs to be using the server as its DNS server, your router has no idea what your domain name is when the PC asks it.
Your server should be doing AD, DNS and DHCP, (DHCP and DNS shouldnt be done by the router)
Click to expand...

You seem to know what you are talking about. Is there anyway for me to do this with my linksys router, or do I need to just go out and get a 4 port hub? I see where I can disable DHCP but I don't see anything about disabling DNS on the router.

If I were to get a second NIC for the Server 2k3 machine, connect the internet directly to the server, then use the 2nd NIC to connect to the hub, I can then use the server 2k3 to be the DNS, correct? Is this the simplest solution?
 
Don't worry about disabling DNS on the router. When you setup your DHCP on the server you can set the DNS settings in there (Which will be the static IP of your server for dns)

Then, under DNS on your server. You need to setup two forwarders for the external DNS (whatever DNS IP's your router gets will work here)

Then activate your DHCP server and go.

If I were to get a second NIC for the Server 2k3 machine, connect the internet directly to the server, then use the 2nd NIC to connect to the hub, I can then use the server 2k3 to be the DNS, correct? Is this the simplest solution?
Click to expand...

No you don't need to do all that, your computers will look for the DHCP server, as long as there is only one on your network, your fine.
 
Just turn off DHCP on the router (which also disables the DNS) and enable DHCP on the server.

Your router will have a static IP, say 192.168.1.1
Your server would have a static IP as well, say 192.168.1.5

your DHCP on the server would give out IPs in the range of 192.168.1.50 to 75 (what I would set it to give out)
gateway would be 192.168.1.2
dns would be 192.168.1.5
you can also include the domain name suffix in the DHCP options

that way all your PC's are 'registered' with the server, know the domain name and can access the internet.
 
Thanks for the help, I got it working Tuesday night. The MSCE book for setting up Server 2k3 didn't have me setup DHCP, just AD and DNS at first. Once I disabled DHCP on the router and enabled it on the server I got it working.

Only problem I have right now is i can't get the Xp Pro machine to connect to the domain unless I disable windows firewall on the server. I've enabled all of the firewall exceptions but it still wont work without turning off the firewall.

Any ideas? Appreciate all the help.
---edit---
Thanks YeOldeStonecat for the link - read through it and it answered a lot of my questions. I havn't setup the DNS forwarding to my ISP DNS servers, I will do that when I get home. Probably explains why the internet wasn't working either on the computers.
 
There is also some great info on petri.co.il web site
Lemme know if you have any problems as well....tonight Im setting up a new 2008 domain and a mixed 2000/2003 domain (dont ask)
 
Another way to do it if you don't want to run DHCP on the server, just run DNS on the server and list it's IP as the Primary DNS server in the router config. All depends on how much you want to do on the server versus the router.
 
MadAsHeck said:
Only problem I have right now is i can't get the Xp Pro machine to connect to the domain unless I disable windows firewall on the server. I've enabled all of the firewall exceptions but it still wont work without turning off the firewall.

Any ideas? Appreciate all the help.
---edit---
Click to expand...

Short answer: turn off the firewall, you should not need it anyway, in our company, best practise is to leave it disabled, your router should serve as your firewall and as long as the internal network is fully managed (antivirus etc) internal firewalls should not be necessary.

However, if you really want to enable it, do a search for LDAP ports, you will need to add exceptions for LDAP for AD authentication to work.
 
MadAsHeck said:
Only problem I have right now is i can't get the Xp Pro machine to connect to the domain unless I disable windows firewall on the server. I've enabled all of the firewall exceptions but it still wont work without turning off the firewall.
Click to expand...

The Windows Firewall on the server should only kick in if she's multi-homed (more than 1x NIC).

You're behind a router right? So just disable 1x NIC on the server...use just 1.

Windows Firewall on the XP clients is totally irrelevant, will not get in the way if it's enabled or not, it does not prevent you from joining the domain.

And it's best to run DHCP from the server, keeps AD tighter, let it do its job..."serve stuff".
 
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