Dhcp Woes When Setting Up Ad

[Horrabin]

Hi,
I have a small test network on which I am setting up Windows Server 2008 R2.
I have done a few tests regarding AD and I think I should be able to sort things out, however, despite looking through the server 2003 docs and books I still use, and searching online, I miss out on the info I need to feel comfy when enabling DHCP.

As it is I have a D-Link router that provides the DHCP adresses on the network, and when I last tried to switch to Server DHCP I just messed up and ended up not knowing what I was doing.

As far as I can tell the DHCP is necessary for AD and running a DC, so I will have to disable DHCP on the Router, but how do I know the new DHCP adresses work and what other settings on thee router may be relevant?

Any guide available on this? How did you guys do?

I will be most happy to add more info if requested.

 

[mmthomas]

You don't have to have your DC running DHCP, but it does make some things easier. If you want to keep running DHCP on your router, the most important setting is to make sure that the DNS server IP address it gives out is your internal DNS server. DNS is critical to proper AD functioning, but as long as the client know where to go for your domain's DNS you should be fine.

That said, running DHCP on your domain controller or other server is not overly complicated. There is a basic step-by-step guide through this link. While DHCP options can get very detailed and obscure, for most small networks you are only going to need the bare minimum settings that that link shows: a range of IP addresses to give out with netmask, and IP addresses to give out for the gateway and the DNS server.

You can't run two dhcp servers on the same network (for nitpickers read that as "shouldn't until you really know what you're doing"). So you'll have to turn off DHCP on your router and then turn it on on your server. You will know it is working if your clients are receiving a DHCP address, dns server and gateway when they start up. If it isn't working, you will end up with APIPA addresses instead. Those are in the 169.x.x.x network.

 

[Horrabin]

Thanks, more links to follow that I missed goggleing...

Ok, I get a bit of that. Guess I am concerned about the net layout, even regarding DNS. Got a lot of noob questions, but I found where to ask them. Step by step guides are great, wish MS implemented that more than in the OS´s.

Gotta see if I can find some relevant settings to dig in to at the D-Link community. I suppose I am the kind a guy that needs a screenshot of the settings for everuy single item....

So where do I start looking if I get no gateway after disabling the router and enabling the DC? Dang, need to find out how I set up the DNS.

You see, I can fiddle my way around most settings and work them out, but I really suck at network topology.

 

[mmthomas]

Active Directory requires DNS, so if you got a domain controller installed you have DNS somewhere. If you didn't have DNS before, then it will be installed on your domain controller by default during the active directory installation.

If your DHCP is giving out addresses, but no gateway, then go to the Administrative Tools and DHCP tool. Expand your server, expand IPv4, expand your scope, then click on scope options. The gateway scope option is "003 Router." If you don't see it in the right window with the DNS server, then right-click on Scope Options and select "Configure Options." In the General tab under available options, find and check "003 Router." When you click the check box the bottom of the window will change to allow you to put in the gateway. You can ignore the "Server name" text box and skip down to "IP address" and put your router IP address there.

 

[Horrabin]

Thanks, I will do these things next time I grab the server by the horns. Right now I am having a bit of an issue syncing files between (file)server and NAS. Takes forver to move 1.2 TB data.