Simple question about AD. please read it completely before answering quick and half answers. Thank you. I have a small SMB network with a simple setup: A DSL modem/internet gateway with 192.168.1.1 that is giving out dhcp addresses to the clients. Giving it's own address both as gateway and DNS server (no way to change that - it's a very basic device). I have a Windows 2008 R2 domain controller with 192.168.1.6 but when I want to join workstations in the domain it won't find the domain unless I manually set the DNS server on the workstations to 192.168.1.6 of course. My question is: is there any way to be able to join the workstations in the domain without changing the DNS server on the workstations to manual DNS and pointing to 192.168.1.6 I know I can set the windows server to be the DHCP server but I don't want to do that for other reasons. Thanks for any help in advance.

there are two ways. 1. you can simple disable the dhcp service frmo adsl router and configure dhcp in the same domain controller.then you can easily configure dns server to the clients through dhcp. 2.on the adsl router dhcp server change the dns server address as windows 2008 r2 servers ip address. Windows 2008 r2 dns server configure the dns forwarder to your isp or your adsl router. http://support.microsoft.com/kb/323416Darshana Jayathilake

Hello, without disabling the routers DHCP to prevent the wrong DNS server, NO you can't. Then you have disable DHCP complete and work with fixed ip addresses. Be aware that domain relies on correct and full setup DNS, otherwise you 'll run into lot's of problems.Best regards Meinolf Weber Disclaimer: This posting is provided "AS IS" with no warranties or guarantees , and confers no rights.

Hello, without disabling the routers DHCP to prevent the wrong DNS server, NO you can't. Then you have disable DHCP complete and work with fixed ip addresses. Be aware that domain relies on correct and full setup DNS, otherwise you 'll run into lot's of problems.Best regards Meinolf Weber Disclaimer: This posting is provided "AS IS" with no warranties or guarantees , and confers no rights.

in my adsl router there is option to specify dns address for dhcp scope.also i have seen most of the routers have that option.Darshana Jayathilake

ADSL DNS does not give client computer answer when it queries the resource records (RR). RR are the basic parts of the AD to function properly. That is why in the list of DNS in client network card there should be only DNS native to AD and no single other public DNS IP. I do recommend using DHCP role on the domain controller only. DHCP is integrated into the AD. There are more reasons to do so. One of them is - it is more secure.