Anyone Familiar with Windows Server '12 or Creating their own DNS server?

[gatormoe1]

So I got a free copy of Win Server 12 from Dreamspark and I set up my own DNS, it worked fine last night but now it won't work and I have to use my own ISP's DNS and/or Google dns. I think I need to get a certificate for the server for it to keep working but I haven't tried hard enough to figure that out (not yet at least, I don't have the time today). I know I need to use the MMC but to my knowledge, Server2012 got rid of the MMC and I havent googled around enough to figure out what replaced it (or maybe I just haven't installed it yet?) Anyway, here are the errors I'm getting...

Here is the error on the DNS Server

The DNS server could not open socket for address xxx.xxx.xxx.xxx.
Verify that this is a valid IP address for the server computer. If it is NOT valid use the Interfaces dialog under Server Properties in the DNS Manager to remove it from the list of IP interfaces. Then stop and restart the DNS server. (If this was the only IP interface on this machine and the DNS server may not have started as a result of this error. In that case remove the DNS\Parameters\ ListenAddress value in the services section of the registry and restart.)

If this is a valid IP address for this machine, make sure that no other application (e.g. another DNS server) is running that would attempt to use the DNS port.

For more information, see "DNS server log reference" in the online Help.

Here is the AD DS errors

The DNS server could not open socket for address xxx.xxx.xxx.xxx
Verify that this is a valid IP address for the server computer. If it is NOT valid use the Interfaces dialog under Server Properties in the DNS Manager to remove it from the list of IP interfaces. Then stop and restart the DNS server. (If this was the only IP interface on this machine and the DNS server may not have started as a result of this error. In that case remove the DNS\Parameters\ ListenAddress value in the services section of the registry and restart.)

If this is a valid IP address for this machine, make sure that no other application (e.g. another DNS server) is running that would attempt to use the DNS port.

For more information, see "DNS server log reference" in the online Help.

Active Directory Web Services could not find a server certificate with the specified certificate name. A certificate is required to use SSL/TLS connections. To use SSL/TLS connections, verify that a valid server authentication certificate from a trusted Certificate Authority (CA) is installed on the machine.

Certificate name: *Domain server*

The DNS server could not bind a User Datagram Protocol (UDP) socket to xxx.xxx.xxx.xxx. The event data is the error code. Restart the DNS server or reboot your computer.

The DNS server could not bind a Transmission Control Protocol (TCP) socket to address xxx.xxx.xxx.xxx. The event data is the error code. An IP address of 0.0.0.0 can indicate a valid "any address" configuration in which all configured IP addresses on the computer are available for use.
Restart the DNS server or reboot the computer.

[gatormoe1]

I realize this may be too nerdy for GC but its worth a try.

I'm heading off to work in 30minutes so I'll read any responses later, thanks in advance for any help.

[orangeblueorangeblue]

Can I ask why? For most people (and I'm about as nerdy as they come) there isn't a practical reason to do this unless you are dealing with a slow DNS host. Even in that case, you have Google (as you mentioned above).

Are you just trying to mirror a node or to be a standalone node?

The truth is, if you worked at a major network, I doubt you'd be running Windows anything, so fire up a virtual server and bang away.

[gatormoe1]

To be honest, I don't need to although I noticed using my DNS (alone and running with google dns) server last night along with google's (8.8.8.8) I got much faster response time.

I'm really just doing it for learning purposes. It's in a VM environment so everything is just experimental and not permanent, but I would like to get it up and running just for the sake of doing it.

[orangeblueorangeblue]

Honestly, if you're doing that in VM there's even less reason to use Windows. This isn't something that you'll ever encounter in the world unless you specifically want to redirect authority records and even then there are easier ways to handle it.

Based on your errors above, are you positive that the server is still running today? You shouldn't need a certificate unless Windows is picky about that on the DNS server side.

I'd also check your IP again ... if it's not a static IP you will obviously run into issues.

[gatormoe1]

I'm doing it just to setup a server that functions correctly and DNS was just my first choice(see below). I setup a static IP but this was after it was already working correctly (then failed the next morning) with a dynamic IP. I set it up as the IP address that it already had though so I may be wrong there?

I realize I'm probably never going to have to setup a DNS server but as I was learning Windows Server 2012 after downloading it, that was the first server option that popped up so I just went with it. Now that it doesn't work I would just like to figure out why and how I can fix it because thats just how I am with this kind of stuff.

My overall goal was to get a server running (not DNS thats just what I started tinkering with out of curiosity) and create a few users to share files with, as well as setup remote desktop on the server and try to get some files off of the server. After that I was going to try and learn a little about Active Directory and creating permissions for user groups. Keep in mind, I'm completely new to Windows servers (servers in general) and I'm doing this strictly for learning purposes. I know how to fix PC's, build them, and troubleshoot normal problems but I'm just now learning the networking side of the computer world.

Also, what do you suggest I try if I want to learn real world scenarios? Shall I download a Linux distro and set that up? I'm open to suggestions.

[orangeblueorangeblue]

Well it depends on what kind of server? I mean, a Web server is obviously much easier and much more real worldy. You can take any normal distro (Ubuntu, Debian, etc.) and have that up and running sans GUI in 5 minutes. Similarly you can throw IIS up on 2012 but there isn't much to learn there.

[gatormoe1]

Yeah i figured that much.. My main reason for creating the server is to tinker with user group permissions and get used to working in Active directory since from what I understand thats a lot of what you do as a network admin.

[secgator]

While I have some slightly better than average PC skills, after reading this thread and noting the reference to it being 'nerdy'....I have but one thing to say.

To quote Chevy Chase from an SNL skit many years ago...."I was told there would be no math".