Problem:A domain controller for the domain could not by contacted

Hello all,
I've setup windows 2003 server on my home pc and configured a domain controller.I've configured the server as dns server as well.I have also networked a laptop to it through a switch.

When trying to connect the laptop to the domain i get an error "A domain controller for the domain could not by contacted "

I think it might be dns issue but not really sure.It's strange though because last night when i typed the domain name it was accepting it and was asking me for the username and password which i typed in but it never logged me on the domain even though i was typing the username and password which i created on the server.

When i tried this morning i got A domain controller for the domain could not by contacted.

Any help will be appreciated?Im new to the server stuff and im reading microsoft self paced study.

Thanks alot

 

You didnt mention where the laptop was getting DHCP from.
I am assuming DHCP is being handed out by the router. Therefore the laptop is getting a DNS IP from the ISP instead of the Domain Controller.

Either A: Setup DHCP on the server

Or B: set up a static address with the server IP for the DNS.

 

Thanks for the reply
I dont have the router emplaced yet,and no internet connection yet.I have wirless on the server but it's disabled.I'm using a switch for the network,but no router yet.

I have assigned static ip address for the server and the laptop and assigned dns on the laptop.I'm using same prefered dns server that assinged for sever
to the laptop.

It's was allowing me to log to the domain because it was asking me for the username and password however it was taking long time to respond from the server and an error was occuring.

But today i kept getting domain controller for the domain could not by contacted "

Thanks any other ideas

 

On the client computers (e.g. the laptop) the DNS setting needs to be the IP address of the server. (this was ssmith10pn's point B). The domain authorisation needs to resolve fully qualified names on the server, and to do that it needs to know where DNS is held for your server. On a standard system DNS is on the server itself.

 

The username and password it is asking for needs to be the Domain Administrator and password you set up when you installed the server.

 

So on the client's pc i assign the the IP address of the server as the prefered dns server?okay ill try this tonight thanks

 

That's why i done but it took long time to communicate and i was getting an error.after that it never worked and i was getting "A domain controller for the domain could not by contacted "

 

Hello Again,
I've tried again and no luck.Still getting A domain controller for the domain contoso could not by contacted.

From the Server i can ping the client(laptop)but from the laptop i cannot ping the server.

I'm pasting the ipconfig statistics for Server and client.


Server


Microsoft Windows [Version 5.2.3790]
(C) Copyright 1985-2003 Microsoft Corp.

E:\Documents and Settings\Administrator>IPCONFIG/ALL

Windows IP Configuration

Host Name . . . . . . . . . . . . : SERVER01
Primary Dns Suffix . . . . . . . : contoso.com
Node Type . . . . . . . . . . . . : Unknown
IP Routing Enabled. . . . . . . . : Yes
WINS Proxy Enabled. . . . . . . . : No
DNS Suffix Search List. . . . . . : contoso.com

Ethernet adapter Local Area Connection 2:

Connection-specific DNS Suffix . :
Description . . . . . . . . . . . : ASUSTeK/Broadcom 440x 10/100 Integrated C
ontroller
Physical Address. . . . . . . . . : 00-0C-6E-06-90-53
DHCP Enabled. . . . . . . . . . . : No
IP Address. . . . . . . . . . . . : 192.168.0.2
Subnet Mask . . . . . . . . . . . : 255.255.255.0
Default Gateway . . . . . . . . . :
DNS Servers . . . . . . . . . . . : 192.168.0.2



This is client(laptop)

Windows IP Configuration

Host Name . . . . . . . . . . . . : pc02
Primary Dns Suffix . . . . . . . : CONTOSO.COM
Node Type . . . . . . . . . . . . : Unknown
IP Routing Enabled. . . . . . . . : No
WINS Proxy Enabled. . . . . . . . : No
DNS Suffix Search List. . . . . . : CONTOSO.COM

Ethernet adapter Local Area Connection:

Connection-specific DNS Suffix . :
Description . . . . . . . . . . . : Realtek RTL8139C+ Fast Ethernet NIC
Physical Address. . . . . . . . . : 00-02-3F-6C-FB-E5
Dhcp Enabled. . . . . . . . . . . : No
IP Address. . . . . . . . . . . . : 192.168.0.3
Subnet Mask . . . . . . . . . . . : 255.255.255.0
Default Gateway . . . . . . . . . :
DNS Servers . . . . . . . . . . . : 192.168.0.2



Sorry for annoying guy,But this book has not been very helpfull

 

Sorry Simond, it sounded like you were using the domain user and password. Is there a reason you have no gateway in the ip config?

 

Also, if you check the event viewer, it may give you messages as to why you can't see the domain. What OS is on the laptop?

 

Hi Crack thanks for the reply.
I haven't enabled the default gateway because i haven't installed a router.I just created a small lan with a switch but no router.There is no problem seeing the computers on the workgroup but when it comes to connecting the client(laptop) to the domain i get that error.I have windows xp professional with service pack 2 on the client(laptop)

From the server can ping the 192.168.0.3(laptop)however from the laptop i cannot ping the server.When i created the domain controller it was logging me on but it was not accpeting my username and password(administrator) due to a time out error.


Is there something else i can try?

Simond

Thanks

 

i would turn dhcp on temporarily on the server and try it then. This way you know that the information the laptop gets is correct and they should be able to communicate, also disable any firewalls you may have on the laptop.

 

Yeah its weird that you can only ping one way. Sounds like it could be a firewall but I haven't seen Windows Firewall block joining a domain before. Anything in the event log on the laptop or server as far as errors?

 

Is this a continuation of the same issue you had Here?

Have you managed to get any client PCs to properly join the domain so they can have their logon authenticated by the DC?

Change the following on both machines
DNS Suffix Search List. . . . . . : contoso.com
to
DNS Suffix Search List. . . . . . :

If that doesn't help then for a test, remove the DNS entry from the client NIC and put hosts files on both server and PC with entries for both server and PC on each. See if that cures things. If so it will give us a starting place to troubleshoot this problem.

 

Newst thanks for the reply.
I haven't not been able to get any client PCs to properly join the domain due to A domain controller for the domain could not by contacted" and doesn't even let me get to the authentication stage,but it was letting me previously but never logged on me on the dc successfully.

Ill try the steps you provided me and let you know.

 

Just for kicks and giggles explain the method you are using to attempt to join the domain.

I have seen the error you are refering too if the computer name already exists in the AD.
You arent creating the computer name in the AD first are you?

 

The answer to your question is No
On the client's computer,i right click on "my computer" and then i click properties then i go to "computer name "and click "change" and where it says a meber of: i select domain and i type "CONTOSO" and press okay and after 15 seconds or so i get domain controller for the domain could not by contacted "

I've followed all the instructions using microsoft self paced training kit 70-290 but it has been very helpful and quiet frustrating

At first it was letting me authenticate on the DC but it was not accepting the administrator username and password due to an error.

From the server can ping the client even though its not on the dc but from the client i get request timed out.i have no firewall enabled at all.


Newt i've tried what you have told me and followed the instructions no luck


What you guys think?

 

Ah so.

No wonder the various 'fix' instructions didn't work. If the clients can't ping the server, they are failing at the network level and way before domain authentication comes into the picture.

From the symptoms, I would bet on a firewall on the 2K3 server but easy enough to do some diagnosing.

The NetBEUI protocol is not supported by Microsoft on either XP or 2003 but it does work on both. Unlike TCP/IP, NetBEUI cannot see a firewall and will be unaffected by one. It also bypasses some other potential TCP/IP & AD server issues.

Load it on the server and at least one workstation and see if that workstation can get logged onto the domain.

The XP install CD has NetBEUI in the \valueadd\msft\net\netbeui subfolder and detailed instructions for installing it are Here.

For the 2K3 server, from the XP CD, copy the nbf.sys file into the \%systemroot%\system32\drivers directory, copy netnbf.inf into the \%systemroot%\inf\ directory, then open network connection properties and click Install to add NetBEUI.

Note that adding this protocol to your network won't slow things down or have any other bad effects.

 

Thanks alot Newt.I will try this today ,and let you know of the outcome
Many thanks

 

Does this 2k3 server have SP1 installed?

You can not enable the windows firewall on the server unless IIS is running.