Simple client joining domain question

GregI · 19 May 2011 at 12:27

I am using VMWare Player with a 2003 server and an XP client. I disabled the vmware dhcp service on host first of all. My server is setup with AD (DNS) and DHCP with that "first time server" option. I boot up my client and my client is assigned the first DHCP address which is good obviously. I can join the domain fine but I was under the impression that I needed to input the DNS address of the server in client or does DHCP handle the identification of the DNS address to the client when it assigns it the IP address?

Beerbaron · 19 May 2011 at 12:33

Is the IP address and DNS set to obtain automatically on your client PC?

ashrobbo · 19 May 2011 at 12:34

Within DHCP scope options your dns servers should be defined.

if you run an ipconfig /all it will show you what dns addresses it has bveen given by DHCP

GregI · 19 May 2011 at 12:46

Yes the IP and DNS is auto. I also looked at the icponfig and it has identified the DNS address.

One last question. See if I was rolling out clients in a real world environment would I need to boot up each client then simply go to join the domain?

Beerbaron · 19 May 2011 at 12:48

In theory yes but most companies would have installed the OS/software from a preconfigured image as this saves a lot of time.