Ok so here it is.... I have a small business network. I am currently using Static IP service (hopin to settin up Active Directory sometime soon...). I have a small Motorola Modem that the ISP provided to me and it is connected to our Linksys Router. All of our laptops and pcs have no problem connecting wirelessly to the network and they all have internet access. I have just plugged in my SunFire X4100M2 Server (running Windows Server 2008) directly into my router using a standard CAT5 patch cord (it has no wireless NIC). It will connect to the network but it has local access only. After pokin about a bit I pulled up the little network map utility and saw all my pcs and laptops were connected wirelessly to the MODEM instead of the router, yet the router is clearly having some effect on the way they connect because if I change the modem from its current PPPoE setting to say Static IP or DHCP it will no longer allow me to connect to the internet. So in short what do I need to do to make my server have an internet connection and less importantly why aren't my other hosts showing as connecting to the router instead of the modem?

So the modem is a modem/wireless AP? or is it one of those modem/router deals?(just a place to start) Dislaimer 1:As usual I could be way off so no playing like I'm Frankenstein. Disclaimer 2: my Speeling and proofing skills are teh fail

As Liam pointed out, a machine cannot connect to a modem remotely. The device must be a modem/router or a modem/access point. How is the Linksys connected to this device? By an Ethernet patch cable? What model in the Linksys? Which port did you plug the server into? What is the ipconfig of the server? How does this compare to the ipconfig of a workstation? Do not attempt to install Active Directory before you sort this out. You will need to make further changes when you go to AD, as this sort of setup is not compatible with the way AD uses DNS. You will need to have all of your machines using the local DNS. They will not do this if they are getting their network config from the Linksys or the Motorola devices.Bill

Sorry about that, was lost in the moment. I had some other issues which are resolved now. The router is the Linksys WRT54G. Basically now I have all my other computers wirelessly accessing the router and accessing the internet fine. My server is wired into port 1 on the router but has local access only. On the IpConfigs.... on the computers and the server I am getting the same DNS Suffix, same subnet mask, and the same default gateway.

what is the static assigned DNS for the server?If the server is using a public or ISP DNS can you post the ipconfig for the server? Dislaimer 1:As usual I could be way off so no playing like I'm Frankenstein. Disclaimer 2: my Speeling and proofing skills are teh fail

IDK.... the IPv6 say obtain DNS automatically, IPv4 says use 127.0.0.1 is that what you meant?

so the server is attempting to use itself as its primary DNS server is DNS installed on the server? Did you do your DCPROMO already? Dislaimer 1:As usual I could be way off so no playing like I'm Frankenstein. Disclaimer 2: my Speeling and proofing skills are teh fail

If the server is not a DC and not a DNS server then you will need to point the DNS to a public or your ISPs DNS servers for name resolution the 127.0.0.1 as the primary is needed once you attempt a dcpromo.almost forgot this needs to be for the IPv4 settings. Dislaimer 1:As usual I could be way off so no playing like I'm Frankenstein. Disclaimer 2: my Speeling and proofing skills are teh fail

Im about to set it up as a DNS server (then an Active Directory), should I go ahead and set it up? And when I do set it up as a DNS server will I need to change it again?

if you are going to make it a DC then yeah i would have the primary DNS to 127.0.0.1 and for now I would set the secondary to 4.2.2.2 or 4.2.2.1 just for name resolution in that there interweb until DNS is installed and the root hints are there so that recursion occurs Dislaimer 1:As usual I could be way off so no playing like I'm Frankenstein. Disclaimer 2: my Speeling and proofing skills are teh fail

Holy ****, thanks. Yeah that got me there, have no idea when that got changed about. Anyway about to try to setup the Active Directory services, wish me luck.

no worries and good luck we will all be floating here to help again. Dislaimer 1:As usual I could be way off so no playing like I'm Frankenstein. Disclaimer 2: my Speeling and proofing skills are teh fail