RAS Clients Receive 127.0.0.1 for DNS Server Address (254715)


The information in this article applies to:

  • Microsoft Windows 2000 Server
  • Microsoft Windows 2000 Advanced Server
  • Microsoft Windows 2000 Professional
This article was previously published under Q254715

SYMPTOMS

Client computers that use Remote Access Services (RAS) or a Virtual Private Network (VPN) to log on to a Windows 2000 domain controller may receive a DNS server address of 127.0.0.1. The clients may be unable to resolve host names to TCP/IP addresses, and they may receive error messages similar to the following examples:
  • Bad IP address
  • System error 53 has occurred.
    The network path was not found
  • Unknown host

CAUSE

This behavior can occur if the Windows 2000 domain controller did not have any DNS server addresses listed in TCP/IP properties when it was promoted to a domain controller.

RESOLUTION

To resolve this issue, either follow the server steps to fix this on the server that is running Windows 2000 Routing and Remote Access or use the Client steps if you do not have access to the RRAS server.

On the Server

  1. Right-click My Network Places, and then click Properties.
  2. Right-click the Local Area Connection (LAN) icon for the network card, and then click Properties.
  3. In the Components checked are used by this connection area, double-click Internet Protocol (TCP/IP).
  4. Change the Preferred DNS server value from 127.0.0.1 to the TCP/IP address being used for this network card, and then click OK.
  5. Have the RAS client disconnect and reconnect.

On the Client

Microsoft Windows NT 4.0 or Windows 2000

Statically configure the DNS server addresses in the phone book entry.

Microsoft Windows 95 or Microsoft Windows 98

Windows 95/98 clients automatically use the DNS and Windows Internet Naming service (WINS) server addresses that the RAS server assigns, even if the phone book entry at the client computer is configured with statically assigned DNS and WINS server addresses.

For additional information, click the article numbers below to view the articles in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:

205247 Overriding Automatic WINS and DNS Server Assignment for RAS/DUN

233169 Windows 95/98 RAS Client May Disregard the Name Server Addresses

MORE INFORMATION

For additional information about configuring a RAS server and client, click the article number below to view the article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:

232511 Client Dialup, Authentication, Browsing Using TCPIP, IPX/SPX

Modification Type:MajorLast Reviewed:9/22/2003
Keywords:kbDNS kberrmsg kbprb KB254715
©2003 Microsoft Corporation. All rights reserved.