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DNS failing

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by otaku_lord 1 view

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We recently demoted a DC/DNS server in a satellite office. Before we did we created a new DC/DNS and let it run for a couple of weeks to allow for replication and testing. When we retired the original server we started getting DNS issues. All have been resolved except that now the users cannot access shares located at the CO. When you ping using the FQDN it goes through correctly but when you ping by simple name it fails to some unknown IP and shows RTIs. When you try to connect via Start -> Run you get the error message: No network provider accepted the given network path.

I have checked DNS and all A and PTR records seem to be there. NSLOOKUP shows the correct DNS server. There is a WINS server but I am not sure if it is set up correctly or even how to verify that it is.

7 replies

by seanferd

If local machines are expecting a WINS server for the short name, and they can't find it, it will fail. Is that your unknown IP? (I would assume this is an RFC 1918 IP, or a public IP that you own).

Also, ping isn't good for a whole lot. Especially since this appears to be a DNS issue, try using variations of the nslookup command.

Clients all pointing to the new DNS server, and nothing else?

by otaku_lord

when attempting to create a CNAME record for the server I would receive the error: The DNS name contains records that are incompatible with the CNAME record.

The machines are trying to contact the server through a VPN tunnel located at the home office. They are on a seperate subnet but on the same domain.

I understand far too well the limitations of PING. However, it is useful for finding out that your systems are still be routed to an external IP (that we don't own, btw) versus the web server which is internal.

The clients are pointing to our internal DNS servers. The primary being the new one, the secondary being the old one, and the tertiary being our main at the CO. The WINS server is actually running on our secondary DNS server at the CO.

by otaku_lord

I have discovered that the secondary NIC on the WINS server was registering to DNS (that subnet is restricted for backup use only). I checked the WINS db and the owner is showing as that IP and not the IP assigned to the clients.

I have removed that IP from the DNS records and purged the WINS db. I have had a few come back with that IP address but none of the other machines has shown up yet...

by otaku_lord

OK. Basically what was happening is that the secondary NIC was registering as the owner of all entries in WINS. I disabled that NIC, deleted all WINS records, removed all entries for that IP from DNS on all servers.

Now everything is resolving correctly (and better than before I got here...).

We will see what happens over the weekend.

by seanferd

Nice detective work. Good luck in the future with this network.

by otaku_lord

Your sentiment is!

You should have seen it when I first got here! At least some of the processes are finally being documented so when I leave my successor won't be in the dark like I was!!

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