You are unable to authorize DHCP Server in Active Directory (303317)


The information in this article applies to:

  • Microsoft Windows 2000 Server
  • Microsoft Windows 2000 Advanced Server
This article was previously published under Q303317

SYMPTOMS

After you start the Dynamic Host Configuration Protocol (DHCP) Server service on your Windows 2000 Server-based DHCP server, you may not be able to authorize the DHCP server in Active Directory. When you type the IP address or the name of the DHCP server in Active Directory, you may receive the following error message:
The DHCP Service could not contact Active Directory

CAUSE

This issue may occur for one of the following reasons:
  • You may have insufficient rights to the Active Directory Configuration container. Without sufficient rights, you cannot make changes to the DHCP server objects that are in the Configuration container.
  • The Authorize command may be missing from the Action menu in the DHCP Microsoft Management Console (MMC) snap-in.

RESOLUTION

To resolve this issue, use one of the following methods, depending on which one of the reasons that are listed in the "Cause" section applies to your computer.

Method 1

Confirm that your DHCP server can contact the global catalog server that is in your domain. To test the global catalog servers, use the Network Diagnostics utility (Netdiag.exe), or use the LDP.exe utility. Additionally, make sure that you are logged on as a member of the Domain Administrators group for the domain where you want to add the DHCP server, and that you are logged on as a member of the Enterprise Administrators group for the Active Directory Forest.

Method 2

For additional information about an issue where the Authorize Command is missing in Dynamic Host Configuration Protocol, click the following article number to view the article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:

246603 Authorize Command is missing in Dynamic Host Configuration Protocol snap-in

MORE INFORMATION

Windows 2000 can block rogue DHCP servers. Each DHCP server that is part of the domain must be authorized. If a DHCP server that is part of the domain is not authorized, it will not distribute IP addresses. For additional information, click the following article number to view the article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:

300429 How to install and configure a DHCP server in an Active Directory domain in Windows 2000

Modification Type:MajorLast Reviewed:9/13/2006
Keywords:kbFastTrack kbtshoot kberrmsg kbnetwork kbprb KB303317 kbAudITPRO
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