Windows Home Server 2011. A saga!

The time on both machines must be the same, that's it. Set both to GMT+2.

WHS, being a home server tends to work better with auto-assigned IP's.I have my server on a manual IP and the 4 clients are also manual. However, when I want to restore a client, the restore cd can only access the server if it has an auto-IP. I then set it to auto, restore, and then set it back to manual. I'm using manual IP's only because of some port forwarding bollocks.
 
vinodh said:
The time on both machines must be the same, that's it. Set both to GMT+2.
Click to expand...

They're both set to that. I've also tried it with them set to Redmond time, but that didn't change anything.

WHS, being a home server tends to work better with auto-assigned IP's.I have my server on a manual IP and the 4 clients are also manual. However, when I want to restore a client, the restore cd can only access the server if it has an auto-IP. I then set it to auto, restore, and then set it back to manual. I'm using manual IP's only because of some port forwarding bollocks.
Click to expand...

I'll try un-assigning the IP to the server -- it's reserved in the router.

I didn;t try anything over the weekend, and I don't know if I can bring myself to start fighting with it again... :(
 
silentbee said:
They're both set to that. I've also tried it with them set to Redmond time, but that didn't change anything.



I'll try un-assigning the IP to the server -- it's reserved in the router.

I didn;t try anything over the weekend, and I don't know if I can bring myself to start fighting with it again... :(
Click to expand...


If you do an ipconfig /all on the laptop can you post the details here? Also the server IP address and router's IP address. You can even substitute the IP addresses if you just want to provide examples.
 
TheGuy said:
If you do an ipconfig /all on the laptop can you post the details here? Also the server IP address and router's IP address. You can even substitute the IP addresses if you just want to provide examples.
Click to expand...

I'm at the office right now, but I'll do this when I'm home. Presumably the ipconfig results are the same if I remote desktop into the server and do it? I'll love you forever if you can help me get this to work... :love:
 
silentbee said:
I'm at the office right now, but I'll do this when I'm home. Presumably the ipconfig results are the same if I remote desktop into the server and do it? I'll love you forever if you can help me get this to work... :love:
Click to expand...


It will be but we need to make sure your settings on the laptop matches the settings on the server.
 
IPCONFIG on notebook:

Code: 
C:\>ipconfig /all

Windows IP Configuration

   Host Name . . . . . . . . . . . . : SILENTBEE-NOTEBOOK
   Primary Dns Suffix  . . . . . . . :
   Node Type . . . . . . . . . . . . : Hybrid
   IP Routing Enabled. . . . . . . . : No
   WINS Proxy Enabled. . . . . . . . : No

Wireless LAN adapter Wireless Network Connection:

   Media State . . . . . . . . . . . : Media disconnected
   Connection-specific DNS Suffix  . :
   Description . . . . . . . . . . . : Intel(R) PRO/Wireless 3945ABG Network Con
nection
   Physical Address. . . . . . . . . : 00-1B-77-E6-BF-18
   DHCP Enabled. . . . . . . . . . . : Yes
   Autoconfiguration Enabled . . . . : Yes

Ethernet adapter Local Area Connection:

   Connection-specific DNS Suffix  . :
   Description . . . . . . . . . . . : Realtek PCIe GBE Family Controller
   Physical Address. . . . . . . . . : 00-1D-60-A5-EB-93
   DHCP Enabled. . . . . . . . . . . : Yes
   Autoconfiguration Enabled . . . . : Yes
   Link-local IPv6 Address . . . . . : fe80::11a1:567d:4a9b:2a2c%9(Preferred)
   IPv4 Address. . . . . . . . . . . : 192.168.0.194(Preferred)
   Subnet Mask . . . . . . . . . . . : 255.255.255.0
   Lease Obtained. . . . . . . . . . : 31 August 2011 08:24:33 PM
   Lease Expires . . . . . . . . . . : 06 September 2011 08:24:32 AM
   Default Gateway . . . . . . . . . : 192.168.0.1
   DHCP Server . . . . . . . . . . . : 192.168.0.1
   DHCPv6 IAID . . . . . . . . . . . : 151002464
   DHCPv6 Client DUID. . . . . . . . : 00-01-00-01-0E-90-4F-A8-00-1D-60-A5-EB-92

   DNS Servers . . . . . . . . . . . : 192.168.0.1
   NetBIOS over Tcpip. . . . . . . . : Enabled

Tunnel adapter Local Area Connection* 6:

   Media State . . . . . . . . . . . : Media disconnected
   Connection-specific DNS Suffix  . :
   Description . . . . . . . . . . . : isatap.{98BE4041-8F9A-4F1D-B0A0-2D93D87FA
CFA}
   Physical Address. . . . . . . . . : 00-00-00-00-00-00-00-E0
   DHCP Enabled. . . . . . . . . . . : No
   Autoconfiguration Enabled . . . . : Yes

Tunnel adapter Local Area Connection* 7:

   Media State . . . . . . . . . . . : Media disconnected
   Connection-specific DNS Suffix  . :
   Description . . . . . . . . . . . : isatap.{CF1B7262-6406-4F43-B857-5608220C6
DF7}
   Physical Address. . . . . . . . . : 00-00-00-00-00-00-00-E0
   DHCP Enabled. . . . . . . . . . . : No
   Autoconfiguration Enabled . . . . : Yes

Tunnel adapter Local Area Connection* 12:

   Media State . . . . . . . . . . . : Media disconnected
   Connection-specific DNS Suffix  . :
   Description . . . . . . . . . . . : Teredo Tunneling Pseudo-Interface
   Physical Address. . . . . . . . . : 02-00-54-55-4E-02
   DHCP Enabled. . . . . . . . . . . : No
   Autoconfiguration Enabled . . . . : Yes

Tunnel adapter Local Area Connection* 15:

   Media State . . . . . . . . . . . : Media disconnected
   Connection-specific DNS Suffix  . :
   Description . . . . . . . . . . . : Microsoft ISATAP Adapter #4
   Physical Address. . . . . . . . . : 00-00-00-00-00-00-00-E0
   DHCP Enabled. . . . . . . . . . . : No
   Autoconfiguration Enabled . . . . : Yes

Tunnel adapter Local Area Connection* 16:

   Media State . . . . . . . . . . . : Media disconnected
   Connection-specific DNS Suffix  . :
   Description . . . . . . . . . . . : Microsoft ISATAP Adapter #5
   Physical Address. . . . . . . . . : 00-00-00-00-00-00-00-E0
   DHCP Enabled. . . . . . . . . . . : No
   Autoconfiguration Enabled . . . . : Yes

IPCONFIG on server:

Code: 
C:\>ipconfig /all

Windows IP Configuration

   Host Name . . . . . . . . . . . . : SILENTBEE-SERVER
   Primary Dns Suffix  . . . . . . . :
   Node Type . . . . . . . . . . . . : Hybrid
   IP Routing Enabled. . . . . . . . : No
   WINS Proxy Enabled. . . . . . . . : No

Ethernet adapter Local Area Connection:

   Connection-specific DNS Suffix  . :
   Description . . . . . . . . . . . : Realtek PCIe GBE Family Controller
   Physical Address. . . . . . . . . : 8C-89-A5-13-1B-3B
   DHCP Enabled. . . . . . . . . . . : Yes
   Autoconfiguration Enabled . . . . : Yes
   Link-local IPv6 Address . . . . . : fe80::adb2:60eb:adfb:24a7%11(Preferred)
   IPv4 Address. . . . . . . . . . . : 192.168.0.138(Preferred)
   Subnet Mask . . . . . . . . . . . : 255.255.255.0
   Lease Obtained. . . . . . . . . . : 05 September 2011 09:28:58 AM
   Lease Expires . . . . . . . . . . : 12 October 2147 05:00:12 PM
   Default Gateway . . . . . . . . . : 192.168.0.1
   DHCP Server . . . . . . . . . . . : 192.168.0.1
   DHCPv6 IAID . . . . . . . . . . . : 244091301
   DHCPv6 Client DUID. . . . . . . . : 00-01-00-01-15-EC-65-43-8C-89-A5-13-1B-3A

   DNS Servers . . . . . . . . . . . : 192.168.0.1
   NetBIOS over Tcpip. . . . . . . . : Enabled

Tunnel adapter isatap.{10F9D011-0BAA-4376-A23D-F1A31D03D672}:

   Media State . . . . . . . . . . . : Media disconnected
   Connection-specific DNS Suffix  . :
   Description . . . . . . . . . . . : Microsoft ISATAP Adapter
   Physical Address. . . . . . . . . : 00-00-00-00-00-00-00-E0
   DHCP Enabled. . . . . . . . . . . : No
   Autoconfiguration Enabled . . . . : Yes

Tunnel adapter Teredo Tunneling Pseudo-Interface:

   Connection-specific DNS Suffix  . :
   Description . . . . . . . . . . . : Teredo Tunneling Pseudo-Interface
   Physical Address. . . . . . . . . : 00-00-00-00-00-00-00-E0
   DHCP Enabled. . . . . . . . . . . : No
   Autoconfiguration Enabled . . . . : Yes
   IPv6 Address. . . . . . . . . . . : 2001:0:4137:9e76:1cce:1c18:3f57:ff76(Pref
erred)
   Link-local IPv6 Address . . . . . : fe80::1cce:1c18:3f57:ff76%13(Preferred)
   Default Gateway . . . . . . . . . : ::
   NetBIOS over Tcpip. . . . . . . . : Disabled

Server's IP: 192.168.0.138

Router's IP: 196.168.0.1
 
Last edited:
Ok so your problem is you are still getting DHCP from the router. So try this assign a manual IP address to your server and laptop with the following details:

Server IP: 192.168.0.138
Mask: 255.255.255.0
Gateway: 192.168.0.1
Primary DNS: 192.168.0.138
Alternate: 192.168.0.1


Laptop IP: 192.168.0.194
Mask: 255.255.255.0
Gateway: 192.168.0.1
Primary DNS: 192.168.0.138
Alternate: 192.168.0.1

Then restart the server wait till it's done booting then restart the laptop and try the connector thing again.
 
Can I not use the router as a DHCP serevr? will I need to set up each device like this? Phones, etc? I'm using a Dlink DIR-655. Can it assign DHCP, etc??
 
silentbee said:
Can I not use the router as a DHCP serevr? will I need to set up each device like this? Phones, etc? I'm using a Dlink DIR-655. Can it assign DHCP, etc??
Click to expand...

You can but then you need to configure the correct settings on the router. The above is just to test and figure out what the problem is. Once we know what it is we can make the required changes to DHCP.
 
You can continue to use the DHCP from the router, but you need to change the DNS address it is assigning to the laptop.
Currently it is giving the laptop the DNS server address of 192.168.0.1, which is the router, but it needs to have the address of the windows server (192.168.0.138) as the primary DNS.

If you do not do this the client connect tool will not work.

You have the choice of using either the router as the DHCP server or the DHCP server role on the windows Server itself. Often it is easier to manage DHCP using the windows server role, but if you want to continue using the router as the DHCP server that is up to you. Just change the DNS assignment address.
 
Thanks so much guys! I will make some of these changes this evening after work and report back.

The only reason I wanted to continue using the router for DHCP is that the server might be off sometimes, and I still need the internet and the rest of the network to be functional. Also there are IPv6 options in the server that were confusing me.... :erm:
 
TheGuy said:
Ok so your problem is you are still getting DHCP from the router. So try this assign a manual IP address to your server and laptop with the following details...
Click to expand...

*SIGH*

Okay, so I set up the IP addresses as suggested. I changed the addresses so that they fall outside of what the router is assigning via DHCP -- it's assigning between 196.168.0.100 and .199, so I just started numbering from .1 [edit: from .2, since the router is .1]

It didn't work.

I can ping the server from the notebook -- by IP and name. I cannot ping the notebook from the server, but I can ping the router.

I turned the firewall and antivirus off on the notebook, and could ping it from the server. The connect software still failed to install.

I'm at my wits end :(

[edit: the router can ping the server, but not the notebook. Internet works from the notebook...]
 
Last edited:
But did you set the primary DNS address on the laptop to that of the server?
 
ramar said:
But did you set the primary DNS address on the laptop to that of the server?
Click to expand...

Yup. I went to the properties of the wireless adapter and set the properties of IPv4. I set it to use the IP addresses and subnet masks and gateways, and set the preferred DNS server as the Home Server, with the alternate DNS as the gateway.
 
Strange. My only other suggestions - check if .net 4 is installed on the laptop. If so, uninstall it, reboot and try the client connector again, it should reinstall .net runtime.

Also check you have no unsual characters in the computer name on the laptop. You can only have letters and numbers.

Finally try this tool and see if it helps with anything - http://www.wegotserved.com/2011/06/05/struggling-connect-pc-server-find-server/
 
ramar said:
Strange. My only other suggestions - check if .net 4 is installed on the laptop. If so, uninstall it, reboot and try the client connector again, it should reinstall .net runtime.
Click to expand...

I'll try that again. I have already uninstalled it and run some .NET cleanup utility that has been recommended elsewhere. I'll do it again...

Also check you have no unsual characters in the computer name on the laptop. You can only have letters and numbers.
Click to expand...

They're both uppercase letters with a single hyphen. XXXXXXXX-SERVER. XXXXXXXX-NOTEBOOK

Finally try this tool and see if it helps with anything - http://www.wegotserved.com/2011/06/05/struggling-connect-pc-server-find-server/
Click to expand...

Tried that. All it does is point you to the correct <SERVERNAME>/Connect address to download and run the Connector software from the server. I can do that.

I really think there's something on my Vista notebook that is preventing from responding to the server during the Connector setup :(
 
Okay. I uninstalled .NET and rebooted. Upon rebooting Vista tells me I have a new hardware device, which is strange because I don't. Anyway, I let it look for drivers, but it can't find any. I ignore it. I run the Connector install and it fails before even finding the server. It says there's an unexpected error and I need ton contact the person who administers my network. I click on the link to troubleshoot, and find the error online. It tells me that the WSS service on the server is not started. I use virtual desktop and follow the instructions to start it. It's already started. I try the Connector again. It fails. I try to ping the server by name and IP from the notebook. Both fail.

It's getting worse!

I'm beginning to have thoughts of reinstalling everything on my notebook, but I don't know If I can face more problems...
 
Okay, just to bring this to a close -- I hate finding threads online that describe the problem I'm having, and then there's no answer.

I got it to work!

A while ago I found this thread. I became convinced that teh problem was my Windows Media Centre installation. I had removed it quite soon after getting my notebook, because I thought I would never need it. As it turns out, WHS2011 Connector needs it.Now, in Vista there's no way to add Media Centre back once you've removed it. Which is absurd.

Anyway, this weekend I finally found the time to sit down and do a clean install of Vista on the troublesome notebook. It took many, many hours to install the updates and bring me back to SP2 with .NET 4 (thanks Afrihost, thanks a lot!). The Connector found the server and installed first time!

Up and running and backing up :)

No I just need to install my AV and applications. Hopefull that won't introduce any problems.

I also need to figure out why the blu-ray player very often returns to a list of files after playing one and immediately tells me there'a a network error, and returns me to the Home menu whereafter I need to refresh the server list and re-navigate back to where I was.

Anyways, thatnks for all the help in this thread :)
 
That is very strange. Windows Media Center is not a feature that is uninstallable. The only way I know of is to use Vlite or similar and remove it. Make a new iso and and perform a new installation. After that, to get it back would entail another new installion using the original un-Vlited iso.
 
Yeah, I really can't remember how I uninstalled it. I know it wasn;t a huge pain. I cetainly didn't create new install images, I just got rid of it. Getting it back was a bit more of a pain!
 
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