Connect to Internet without Windows Domain Server

Katz

Comcast Internet is currently working, but only while our Windows Domain Server is ON. Once the Windows Server is offline/shutdown and using one of the computers, I am still able to access the different drives in the local network, BUT I cannot access the internet.

I am looking at the NAT Policies, but not entire sure what I am looking at. How can I make sure that my other computer will still have internet access even if the Windows Domain Server is offline? With the other windows, we created local users so that we need not be using the domain, but still, no internet. Please advise.

shiprasahu93

@Katz,

Welcome to SonicWall community.

So, the users that are not part of the domain, when you ping google.com on them, is it failing? Also, if you are pinging 8.8.8.8 from the same machine is that working fine?

It is highly unlikely that this would be a NAT policy issue as that would affect the internet access even when the internal DNS server is in use. Could you please run those tests and let us know the results?

Thanks!

SEBASTIAN

I think this is a DNS problem.

I would check what DNS servers are the clients using. DC IP address or public DNS server?

Try to PING 8.8.8.8 and 8.8.4.4.

Try "nslookup" and see if you can resolve some Internet names...

Katz

Hello,

Here are the tests I made

Local user(not domain user):

Ping 8.8.8.8 was a success

Ping 8.8.4.4 was a success

Ping google.com was a success

Web browser failed to connect

Nslookup was using the Domain Server's ip address as the default, but after disconnecting the domain server, it now says that the DNS request timed out. Default Server: Unknown.

Domain user

Ping 8.8.8.8 was a success

Ping 8.8.4.4 was a success

Ping google.com failed to connect

Web browser failed to connect

Nslookup was using the Domain Server's ip address as the default, but after disconnecting the domain server, it now says that the DNS request timed out. Default Server: Unknown.

Katz

New update:

Hello,

Here are the tests I made

Local user(not domain user):

Ping 8.8.8.8 was a success

Ping 8.8.4.4 was a success

Ping google.com failed to connect

Web browser failed to connect

Nslookup was using the Domain Server's ip address as the default, but after disconnecting the domain server, it now says that the DNS request timed out. Default Server: Unknown.

Domain user

Ping 8.8.8.8 was a success

Ping 8.8.4.4 was a success

Ping google.com failed to connect

Web browser failed to connect

Nslookup was using the Domain Server's ip address as the default, but after disconnecting the domain server, it now says that the DNS request timed out. Default Server: Unknown.

SEBASTIAN

Have you tried changing the DNS servers on a client PC?

I mean, you could put 8.8.8.8 as the primary DNS server and 8.8.4.4 as the secondary DNS server on the client PC TCP/IP settings.

In case you have a DHCP server on the LAN, change the DNS servers it is offering to clients.

Katz

I can try that, thank you.

Also, if this works, would it be accurate to say that it'll have to be done to ALL computers instead of just on 1 place which is within the SonicWall configuration?

SEBASTIAN

Yes, you should do that to all PCs on the LAN.

You could also setup a DHCP server on the firewall itself. And set the DNS option to give 8.8.8.8 and 8.8.4.4

In case you have too much PCs on the LAN, I would suggest the second option.

Katz

I'll likely have to go with the second option.

Would this be a good guide in adjusting the DHCP server on the firewall itself:

https://www.sonicwall.com/support/knowledge-base/configuring-the-dhcp-server-on-the-sonicwall/170505423294713/

SonicWall: Network > DHCP Server > check the checkbox for "Enable DCHP Server"?

When I am adding DHCPv4 Server Lease Scopes DNS/WINS, I will set to:

select the radio button for "Specify Manually"

"DNS Server 1: 8.8.8.8"

"DNS Server 2: 8.8.4.4"

John_Lasersohn

Yes @Katz that should do the trick.

Katz

I was able to test again today.

I followed the steps here on section: Resolution for SonicOS 6.5

https://www.sonicwall.com/support/knowledge-base/configuring-the-dhcp-server-on-the-sonicwall/170505423294713/

I tried the IP address that the example has, but I kept getting the following error:

"Error: Total Number of DHCP leases exceeds the maximum 4096", but I eventually found a starting-ending IP Address that eventually worked.

2 Case Scenarios:

• 1. While logged in on non-domain administrator User:
  • I was able to connect to the internet via a web browser.
• 2. While logged in on a Domain User:
  • I was able to ping 8.8.8.8 and 8.8.4.4, but I was not able to connect to the internet via a web browser
  • When I disconnected the Domain Server, the internet died on this computer. I think I can make sense of this because the Domain Server is down and so therefore this will not connect, but I am curious if there's another way to make this work?