Can't see win2k8 server by hostname, but can see it by IP

views:

638

answers:

+1 Q:

Can't see win2k8 server by hostname, but can see it by IP

On my home network I have an installation of Windows Server 2008 and for some reason, the windows vista workstations on the network can connect to the server via remote desktop only via the server's IP address, not the hostname. Same for connecting to an instance of SQL Server 2008 that's on the server, only works by IP, not by hostname.

Yet, I have some file shares on the same server, and the workstations can see them just fine using the server's hostname.

The server/workstations are on the same private network, and have the same workgroup name.

Any idea why I can't seem to find the server via hostname in the situations outlined above?

+2 A:

File shares are probably handled via NETBIOS, RDP and SQL connections are probably using DNS. Have you added the server to your Vista system's hosts file? I'm assuming that since they are on a private network you're not running your own DNS and thus to get at them via protocols that use IP names you need to put entries in hosts manually.

tvanfosson 2008-12-05 03:01:12

This worked, but it seems that I never had to take this action when I was using Windows server 2003. I suspect some service is turned off in the default installation of 2008 that used to be on in 2003.

Scott Mayfield 2008-12-05 03:25:28

Could be that in Server 2003 these defaulted back to NETBIOS if IP didn't work. There might be a registry setting that you could change to enable this behavior. I'd have to ask the server guys, though we haven't moved to Server 2008 for production yet.

tvanfosson 2008-12-05 03:28:29

Vincent 2009-10-09 05:40:34

Using yourself as a gateway seems strange to me -- things won't ever leave the local network. Are you sure that you have DNS properly configured to resolve everything and your network is really set up they way you want? I'd also make sure DNS is running. I don't think it does by default.

tvanfosson 2009-10-09 10:47:49

ansaurus

tags:

views:

answers:

Can't see win2k8 server by hostname, but can see it by IP

related questions