Windows Server 2008 remote desktop using computer name setup

If I set up Windows XP computers for remote desktop, go to the remote
computer, used ipconfig to find the IP address, then use remote desktop and
the IP, I can use remote desktop to reach the remote computer.

If I try the computer name then the remote desktop will not find the
computer.

How do I set up Windows Server 2008 so I can use the remote desktop with a
computer name.?

Are you using AD? If so, all your workstations & servers should specify only
the internal DNS server IP(s), no public IPs. In fact, without AD you can
still do that, and it's often a good idea. You configure the DNS server
itself with forwarders to your ISP's DNS servers for external resolution.

Yes, there is active directory.

The Windows XP computers for DNS are set up to point to the router. The
router for DNS is pointed to the static IP of the server. I have to check the
DNS settings of the server.

This is a problem. They must point only to the LAN IP of your internal DNS
server. No public IPs, no router. Your router should not be doing DHCP
either.

ipconfig /release & ipconfig /renew, yes.

My first question would be how do I gracefully switch the DHCP server?

This does sound like an after hours job because the computer users would
probably lose their Internet connections when the switch over occurs.

I assume the procedure would go something like this:
On the server add the DHCP server

Disable the DHCP server on the router

The problem I posted was apparently caused by the DNS reverse lookup
referring to the wrong subnet 192.168.0.x when it should have been
192.168.1.x. That has been fixed.

What problems are caused by the DHCP settings. Could this be the problem of
slow logon on specific computers that was patched by setting the DNS to point
to the server? (It took 8 minutes to log on to one computer with a static IP
address)

I am not sure what you mean by DHCP reservations. Are you talking about
excluding address such as the static IP address for the printers?

Cool, but note that this can't be your problem. An incorrect reverse lookup
entry won't cause you problems with a forward lookup

No; the problem is that you've got DNS server IPs listed in your clients
that are not internal/AD-integrated DNS servers. The reason for having
Windows handle DHCP is that it makes dynamic DNS updates work more reliably.

No; I don't use static IP addresses for printers. I set up DHCP reservations
for printers (specific MAC addresses always get the same IP issued via DHCP,
so I don't have to keep a list of statics). I use statics only for servers &
network equipment

I did wait a couple nights before staying late to switch over the DHCP
service from the router to the Server and setting up reservations for the IP
Phones, network printers (can not find where the time clock MAC is)

Again the changes I make seem to fix the problem I have even though you said
No. One computer (auto DNS) that was slow now logs normally and the static IP
computer with the DNS pointed to the server also logs normally.

The next step would be the setup of the network printers and the print
servers. However, I assume I should start a new thread.

Thanks for the help.

The time clock is the device that employees use to clock in and clock out. It
is on the network. I found the router had the MAC address so I was able to
make a DHCP reservation.

I did check 13 of the 14 computers on that segment using ipconfig /all and
the DNS server is the server local IP address. No Public IP addresses are
present on the computers.

I am ready to close this thread. Can not say the answer for either problem
(Can't remote using computer name and excessive log on time) is here. You
don't feel the changes I made should have fixed either problem yet neither
problem currently exists.

Server setup progress has been made since the DHCP service has been switched
over from router to the server.

In answer to your Hmm, maybe it wasn't clear in an earlier email, however,
one of the changes made was to change the DCHP server from the router from
the server. Therefore, the DNS setting was changed from pointing to the
router to obtain automatically. Therefore, iipconfig shows DNS setting as the
server address.

techcoor <techcoor@discussions.microsoft.com> wrote:
> In answer to your Hmm, maybe it wasn't clear in an earlier email,
> however, one of the changes made was to change the DCHP server from
> the router from the server. Therefore, the DNS setting was changed
> from pointing to the router to obtain automatically. Therefore,
> iipconfig shows DNS setting as the server address.

OK, cool. That wasn't clear before (as changing a DHCP server doesn't mean
the DNS server settings therein are being changed). But it sounds like it's
good now - thanks for posting back.
>
> "Lanwench [MVP - Exchange]" wrote:
>
>> techcoor <techcoor@discussions.microsoft.com> wrote:
>>> The time clock is the device that employees use to clock in and
>>> clock out. It is on the network. I found the router had the MAC
>>> address so I was able to make a DHCP reservation.
>>
>> Great.
>>
>>>
>>> I did check 13 of the 14 computers on that segment using ipconfig
>>> /all and the DNS server is the server local IP address. No Public IP
>>> addresses are present on the computers.
>>
>> Hmm. Here's what you wrote in an earlier email:
>>
>> ---- Yes, there is active directory.
>> ---- The Windows XP computers for DNS are set up to point to the
>> router.
>>
>>
>>>
>>> I am ready to close this thread. Can not say the answer for either
>>> problem (Can't remote using computer name and excessive log on time)
>>> is here. You don't feel the changes I made should have fixed either
>>> problem yet neither problem currently exists.
>>>
>>> Server setup progress has been made since the DHCP service has been
>>> switched over from router to the server.
>>
>> Glad to hear you've got it resolved.
>>>
>>> "Lanwench [MVP - Exchange]" wrote:
>>>
>>>> techcoor <techcoor@discussions.microsoft.com> wrote:
>>>>> I did wait a couple nights before staying late to switch over the
>>>>> DHCP service from the router to the Server and setting up
>>>>> reservations for the IP Phones, network printers (can not find
>>>>> where the time clock MAC is)
>>>>
>>>> What do you mean by time clock?
>>>>>
>>>>> Again the changes I make seem to fix the problem I have even
>>>>> though you said No. One computer (auto DNS) that was slow now
>>>>> logs normally and the static IP computer with the DNS pointed to
>>>>> the server also logs normally.
>>>>
>>>> And you've confirmed that there are no public IPs in any
>>>> workstation's ipconfig /all ? This is critical. You may get things
>>>> to appear functional without that, but you will absolutely have
>>>> problems at some point.
>>>>>
>>>>> The next step would be the setup of the network printers and the
>>>>> print servers. However, I assume I should start a new thread.
>>>>
>>>> Yes, I would recommend that.
>>>>>
>>>>> Thanks for the help.
>>>>>
>>>>>
>>>>>
>>>>> "Lanwench [MVP - Exchange]" wrote:
>>>>>
>>>>>> techcoor <techcoor@discussions.microsoft.com> wrote:
>>>>>>> The problem I posted was apparently caused by the DNS reverse
>>>>>>> lookup referring to the wrong subnet 192.168.0.x when it should
>>>>>>> have been 192.168.1.x. That has been fixed.
>>>>>>
>>>>>> Cool, but note that this can't be your problem. An incorrect
>>>>>> reverse lookup entry won't cause you problems with a forward
>>>>>> lookup.
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>> What problems are caused by the DHCP settings. Could this be the
>>>>>>> problem of slow logon on specific computers that was patched by
>>>>>>> setting the DNS to point to the server? (It took 8 minutes to
>>>>>>> log on to one computer with a static IP address)
>>>>>>
>>>>>> No; the problem is that you've got DNS server IPs listed in your
>>>>>> clients that are not internal/AD-integrated DNS servers. The
>>>>>> reason for having Windows handle DHCP is that it makes dynamic
>>>>>> DNS updates work more reliably.
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>> I am not sure what you mean by DHCP reservations. Are you
>>>>>>> talking about excluding address such as the static IP address
>>>>>>> for the printers?
>>>>>>
>>>>>> No; I don't use static IP addresses for printers. I set up DHCP
>>>>>> reservations for printers (specific MAC addresses always get the
>>>>>> same IP issued via DHCP, so I don't have to keep a list of
>>>>>> statics). I use statics only for servers & network equipment.
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>> "Lanwench [MVP - Exchange]" wrote:
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>> techcoor <techcoor@discussions.microsoft.com> wrote:
>>>>>>>>> My first question would be how do I gracefully switch the DHCP
>>>>>>>>> server?
>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>> This does sound like an after hours job because the computer
>>>>>>>>> users would probably lose their Internet connections when the
>>>>>>>>> switch over occurs.
>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>> I assume the procedure would go something like this:
>>>>>>>>> On the server add the DHCP server
>>>>>>>>> http://www.windowsreference.com/wind...by-step-guide/
>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>> Disable the DHCP server on the router
>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>> Go to each computer and do a ipconfig /release then ipeconfig
>>>>>>>>> /return
>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>> ipconfig /release & ipconfig /renew, yes.
>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>> Sounds like you've got it. If you've got any DHCP reservations
>>>>>>>> make sure you preconfigure those on the Windows box too, before
>>>>>>>> making the switch.
>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>> "Lanwench [MVP - Exchange]" wrote:
>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>>> techcoor <techcoor@discussions.microsoft.com> wrote:
>>>>>>>>>>> Yes, there is active directory.
>>>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>>>> The Windows XP computers for DNS are set up to point to the
>>>>>>>>>>> router.
>>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>>> This is a problem. They must point only to the LAN IP of your
>>>>>>>>>> internal DNS server. No public IPs, no router. Your router
>>>>>>>>>> should not be doing DHCP either.
>>>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>>>> The router for DNS is pointed to the static IP of the
>>>>>>>>>>> server. I have to check the DNS settings of the server.
>>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>>> See above :-)
>>>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>>>> "Lanwench [MVP - Exchange]" wrote:
>>>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>>>>> techcoor <techcoor@discussions.microsoft.com> wrote:
>>>>>>>>>>>>> If I set up Windows XP computers for remote desktop, go to
>>>>>>>>>>>>> the remote computer, used ipconfig to find the IP address,
>>>>>>>>>>>>> then use remote desktop and the IP, I can use remote
>>>>>>>>>>>>> desktop to reach the remote computer.
>>>>>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>>>>>> If I try the computer name then the remote desktop will
>>>>>>>>>>>>> not find the computer.
>>>>>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>>>>>> How do I set up Windows Server 2008 so I can use the
>>>>>>>>>>>>> remote desktop with a computer name.?
>>>>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>>>>> Are you using AD? If so, all your workstations & servers
>>>>>>>>>>>> should specify only the internal DNS server IP(s), no
>>>>>>>>>>>> public IPs. In fact, without AD you can still do that, and
>>>>>>>>>>>> it's often a good idea. You configure the DNS server
>>>>>>>>>>>> itself with forwarders to your ISP's DNS servers for
>>>>>>>>>>>> external resolution.