Question

Router Shows in My Network

Active Directory, Networking services, Networking, Users, Windows Server 2003, Windows client administration and maintenance, Routers

I had a work group and then added a domain controller. The OS of the domain controller is Windows 2003 Standard. I created the Active Directory and DNS services. I then went to the stations one by one and added then to the domain using the Network ID wizard. The work stations are all WindowsXPP. I checked the domain and all the workstations show in the AD users and computers. However when I go to the computers, I cannot access the domain.

I can use the UNC path to get to the server and share folders on the network. Each user is qasked to change thier password at thier first sign in. However the other Group Policy items I put into effect on the AD do not carry down to the server.

From a workstation, I can go to my computer and then select My Network and the router shows up but not the Domain name. If I go into Entire Network then the Domain shows up and I can get into the share folders again.

If I want to add a domain user to the local uers I cannot. It will not find the domain. I replaced the router since I had seen on the internet that someone else had the same issue with the same router. The router was a Linksys WRT54G. I replaced it with a D-Link DIR-625. The effect was the same. I called Linksys and they said it was not thier issue. I talked to two other Network Service companies and they both said they have never heard of this problem before. Any ideas?

It's got nothing to do with the router.

I assume that you are using the router as your DHCP server? I also assume that the router is using your ISPs DNS servers as the DNS servers to give you all your machines?

You need to remove all the machines from the domain, install the DNS service on the server, make sure that the server has it's own IP setup for the DNS server (with no backup DNS server). Then configure the router to use the servers IP address as the DNS server with no backup DNS servers. Reboot the workstations to get the updated DNS information (or do an ipconfig /release and then ipconfig /renew on each machine). Then add the machines back to the domain.
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If you have AD installed, you are using DNS from somewhere (installed with AD maybe?)
I agree with above, set DNS in the router to point to your DC. You might also consider moving DHCP to the DC as well. This can provide more security control than letting the router manage the address space. If you run DHCP from the server, you can reboot the workstations and get new addresses and also DNS registration. Once reconfigured, verify the netlogon share and sysvol are visible on the network and that GPOs propagate