cannot connect to internet from domain controller

Question

I'm setting up an active directory/domain controller that is also doing DNS using Windows Server 2008 R2.

The install went smoothly. I am able to add a computer to the domain, and can even connect to the internet from this workstation. However, I cannot connect to the internet from the actual domain controller (I'm trying to run windows updates).

Can anyone provide some guidance?

Thanks!

Solution 1

Check the gateway setting for your network interface on your server. Assuming the desktop you can browse from (which you state is a domain member) is using the DNS server on the domain controller, then it almost certainly isn't a DNS problem.

Edit:

Please provide some additional information to help further troubleshoot this problem:

The output from ipconfig /all from both the server and the workstation is a good starting point, along with a short description of the network and how it is connected to the internet.

Solution 2

Your Domain controller will be set to use itself as its primary DNS server (assuming you installed AD DNS on it), this is how it should be. However if your DNS server is not setup with the proper forwarders to your ISP's DNS server then you will have problems getting connected to the internet.

Solution 3

Yeah, I'd check your DNS. Make sure you either have root hints and/or a forwarder for all other domains beside your. Ensure you don't have a '.' zone defined, or your machine is claiming that it's definitive for the entire DNS namespace.

Obviously there's a lot of other things to check (routing, firewall, as stated by @DaDaDom), but when you look into DNS, those are common mistakes.

Comments

[mson]

the network and sharing center actually displays no internet connection. i think a forward lookup zone is missing/hosed

[DaDaDom]

But the physical connection is available and it also does have an IP address? I guess it does, as the workstation could connect, but still ...

[mson]

can you send me screen shot of a forwarder for all other domains beside own?

[mson]

yes - i don't know how to setup the forwarders...

[Kcmamu]

But if this is the case, how can the workstation browse the web? The workstation must be using the same DNS server as the server after all.

[mfinni]

No, you typically use DNS provided by your upstream provider for that, or you could conceivably use OpenDNS or Google.

[mfinni]

He could have his workstation using a secondary external DNS, potentially.

[mson]

correct mfinni - using local dns as well as isp

[mson]

simple query on dns server works fine; recursive query fails

[mfinni]

@mson -when you get this fixed, you should configure your workstations to only use your internal DNS servers. If you're not sure how to set up the forwarder, look in the Help in DNA Management. Right-click on the DNS server, go to the Forwarders tab, and configure it.

[Kcmamu]

@mfinni: Potentially, Yes, however if so, it is misconfigured.