DNS: DNS servers on <adapter name> should include the loopback address, but not as the first entry

  • Article

Updated: October 15, 2010

Applies To: Windows 7, Windows Server 2008, Windows Server 2008 R2, Windows Server 2012

This topic is intended to address a specific issue identified by a Microsoft Baseline Configuration Analyzer or Best Practices Analyzer scan. You should apply the information in this topic only to computers that have had the DNS Microsoft Baseline Configuration Analyzer or DNS Best Practices Analyzer run against them and are experiencing the issue addressed by this topic. For more information about best practices and scans, see Best Practices Analyzer.

Operating System

Windows Server 2008, Windows Server 2008 R2, Windows Server 2012

Product/Feature

DNS

Severity

Error

Category

Configuration

Issue

The network adapter does not list the loopback IP address as a DNS server, or it is configured as the first DNS server on this adapter.

The loopback IP address should be configured as one of the DNS servers on each active network adapter, but not as the first DNS server.

Impact

If the loopback IP address is the first entry in the list of DNS servers, Active Directory might be unable to find its replication partners.

The inclusion of its own IP address in the list of DNS servers improves performance and increases availability of DNS servers. However, if the DNS server is also a domain controller and it points only to itself, or points to itself first for name resolution, this can cause a delay during startup. For this reason, use caution when configuring the loopback address on an adapter if the server is also a domain controller. The loopback address should be configured only as a secondary or tertiary DNS server on a domain controller.

For more information, see the following Knowledge Base articles:

  1. Troubleshooting DNS Event ID 4013: The DNS server was unable to load AD integrated DNS zones

  2. Domain controller boots up slowly when pointing to itself as the only DNS server

Resolution

Configure adapter settings to add the loopback IP address to the list of DNS servers on all active interfaces, but not as the first server in the list.

Configure network adapters on this DNS server to use the loopback address (127.0.0.1, 0:0:0:0:0:0:0:1, or ::1) as one of the DNS servers, but not as the first DNS server on the list. If the loopback address is configured as the first DNS server, then configure another DNS server first.

Membership in Administrators, or equivalent, is the minimum required to complete these procedures. Review details about using the appropriate accounts and group memberships at Local and Domain Default Groups (https://go.microsoft.com/fwlink/?LinkId=83477).

To configure IPv4 DNS settings

  1. On the DNS server, click Start, click Run, type control netconnections, and then click OK.

  2. Right-click the network adapter you wish to configure, and then click Properties.

  3. Click Internet Protocol Version 4 (TCP/IPv4), click Properties, and then click Advanced.

  4. On the DNS tab, under DNS server addresses, in order of use, click Add, type the IP address of the DNS server you wish to add, and then click Add. To add the IPv4 loopback address, type 127.0.0.1.

  5. To change the order of DNS servers, click the UP arrow or the DOWN arrow on the right side of the list. When you have completed configuring the list of DNS servers, click OK twice, and then click Close.

To configure IPv6 DNS settings

  1. On the DNS server, click Start, click Run, type control netconnections, and then click OK.

  2. Right-click the network adapter you wish to configure, and then click Properties.

  3. Click Internet Protocol Version 6 (TCP/IPv6), click Properties, and then click Advanced.

  4. On the DNS tab, under DNS server addresses, in order of use, click Add, type the IP address of the DNS server you wish to add, and then click Add. To add the IPv6 loopback address, type ::1.

  5. To change the order of DNS servers, click the UP arrow or the DOWN arrow on the right side of the list. When you have completed configuring the list of DNS servers, click OK twice, and then click Close.

See Also

Other Resources

DNS: <Adapter name> should be configured to use both a preferred and an alternate DNS server