Tutorial for making a domain controller ?

[busby]

A very noob Question to all you very experienced techies.

ive never had the experience in building up a server and making it a domain controller my boss usually guards this with his life. ive built a test one at home installed server 2008 ran dcpromo completed this process, created a test user in ad then tried to add my lappy to that domain. it will not find the domain (mydomain.int) The error that pops up is a dns error not quite sure exactly what it says at the min as im not at home. is there a good step by step tutorial about i can go off as the ones ive searched for are not very good. I just need to learn this as im sure the day will come i have to build one plus i want the experience in building a good domain controller.

Thanks for your help

[j17sparky]

When you do dcpromo is it doing the "Recommended settings for new domain"? ie does it install DHCP and DNS? You need both of these going preferably on your server (just to keep things easy). Your client is probably getting its DHCP info from your router, and as such will be using the router as the DNS server which obviously doesnt know about your Server2008 server.

[busby]

That makes sence. yeah recommended settings, so in dns i need to put a forwarder to my server ? i have not messed with any of the settings after a full install other than giving my server a static ip. it does sound as if dns doesn't know the server exists.

[j17sparky]

Assuming router = 192.168.1.1 & server = 192.168.1.20
Turn off DHCP on router

DHCP server scope settings;
Range = 192.168.1.100-192.168.1.254
Subnet = 255.255.255.0 (/24)
Router/gateway = 192.168.1.1
DNS = 192.168.1.20

Server network settings;
DNS = 127.0.0.1
Gateway = 192.168.1.20

DNS;
Domain = testdomain.local
You dont need to touch any farwarder info or anything like that.


Connect client to network, renew IP settings if needed. Join domain

[busby]

Nice one i will try this tonight when i get in i havn't turned off dhcp in router, thanks for the help

[SYNACK]

The easiest way without having to mess with your other network devices is simply to give the laptop a static ip and manually specify the DNS server as your new DC. It should then find the domain and be able to join it.