Change the static IP address of a domain controller

  • Article

Applies To: Windows Server 2003, Windows Server 2003 R2, Windows Server 2003 with SP1, Windows Server 2003 with SP2

This procedure includes changing all appropriate TCP/IP values, including preferred and alternate Domain Name System (DNS) servers, as well as Windows Internet Name Service (WINS) servers (if appropriate). Obtain these values from the design team.

Note

If you change the static IP address of a domain controller, you must also change related TCP/IP settings accordingly. This includes changing the TCP/IP settings for all client computers that rely on the domain controller for related services, such as DNS services. If the affected client computers are configured with static IP addresses, the procedures for changing them should be covered in the operating system help. As an example, see Change TCP/IP settings (https://go.microsoft.com/fwlink/?LinkId=130602). If a Dynamic Host Configuration Protocol (DHCP) server is used to distribute DNS server IP addresses, you may have to modify DHCP server options. For a list of options, see DHCP Options Supported by Clients (https://go.microsoft.com/fwlink/?LinkId=130603). For specific instructions about changing DHCP options, see Modify an option (https://go.microsoft.com/fwlink/?LinkId=130604).

Administrative Credentials

To perform this procedure, you must be a member of the Domain Admins group in the domain of the domain controller whose IP address you are changing.

To change the static IP address of a domain controller

  1. Log on locally (also known as interactively) to the system console of the domain controller whose IP address you want to change. If you are not able to log on to the domain controller by using the domain, you may have to start the domain controller in Directory Services Restore Mode (DSRM). For more information, see Restart the domain controller in Directory Services Restore Mode locally (https://go.microsoft.com/fwlink/?LinkId=140599).

  2. On the desktop, right-click My Network Places, and then click Properties.

  3. In the Network Connections dialog box, right-click Local Area Connection, and then click Properties.

  4. In the Local Area Connection Properties dialog box, double-click Internet Protocol (TCP/IP).

  5. In the Internet Protocol (TCP/IP) Properties dialog box, in the IP address box, type the new address.

  6. In the Subnet mask box, type the subnet mask.

  7. In the Default gateway box, type the default gateway.

  8. In the Preferred DNS server box, type the address of the DNS server that this computer contacts.

  9. In the Alternate DNS server box, type the address of the DNS server that this computer contacts if the preferred server is unavailable.

  10. If this domain controller uses WINS servers, click Advanced and then, in the Advanced TCP/IP Settings dialog box, click the WINS tab.

  11. If an address in the list is no longer appropriate, click the address, and then click Edit.

  12. In the TCP/IP WINS Server dialog box, type the new address, and then click OK.

  13. Repeat steps 11 and 12 for all addresses that need to be changed, and then click OK twice to close the TCP/IP WINS Server dialog box and the Advanced TCP/IP Settings dialog box.

  14. Click OK to close the Internet Protocol (TCP/IP) Properties dialog box.

After you change the IP address of a domain controller, you should run the ipconfig /registerdns command to register the host record and dcdiag /fix command to ensure that service records are appropriately registered with DNS. For more information, see Dcdiag Overview and subordinate topics for additional information about the Dcdiag tool (https://go.microsoft.com/fwlink/?LinkId=130605).

Changing the IP settings of a server does not affect the share resources or shared permissions on that server, if the name resolution structure DNS and WINS settings are correctly configured. However, if network drives or passive connections (connections that are made manually from a command prompt or run line) are mapped using the IP address, an update is required. For example, if a client computer has G: drive mapped using the following command net use g: \\192.168.0.199\data and the IP address of the server that hosts the Data shared folder is changed from 192.168.0.199 to 192.168.1.200, the new G: drive mapping command should be changed to net use g: \\192.168.1.200\data. A better solution would be to ensure that DNS name resolution is working properly and to use the server name, as opposed to the IP address, in the command. For example, if the server name is DC1, the command to map a G: drive to the Data share on the server is net use g: \\dc1\data. It changes only if the server name changes; it is not affected if the IP address of the server changes.