Kerberos is not used when you connect to SMB shares by using IP address (322979)


The information in this article applies to:

  • Microsoft Windows Server 2003, Web Edition
  • Microsoft Windows Server 2003, Standard Edition
  • Microsoft Windows Server 2003, Enterprise Edition
  • Microsoft Windows Server 2003, Datacenter Edition
  • Microsoft Windows 2000 Server
  • Microsoft Windows 2000 Advanced Server
  • Microsoft Windows 2000 Datacenter Server
  • Microsoft Windows 2000 Professional
This article was previously published under Q322979

SYMPTOMS

When you connect to remote Server Message Block (SMB) services shares by using \\192.x.y.z\share name, Kerberos is not used, and the Internet Protocol (IP) SMB file share access does not use Kerberos. A network trace shows the following Kerberos error in the KRB_ERROR:
Server not found in Kerberos database

CAUSE

By default, Microsoft Windows Server 2003 and Microsoft Windows 2000 try to use Kerberos as the security provider. When a client uses Kerberos to authenticate itself to a server, the client requests a session ticket for the Service Principal Name (SPN). IP addresses are not names, so Kerberos is not used. After this occurs, the server goes through the list of the other supported security providers.

STATUS

This behavior is by design.

MORE INFORMATION

IP addresses typically change, and it is not workable to add these addresses as SPNs. An SPN can be one of the following:
  • The DNS name for the domain.
  • The DNS name of a host.
  • The distinguished name of a service connection point object.
Modification Type:MinorLast Reviewed:6/8/2005
Keywords:kbenv kbnetwork kbprb KB322979
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