Server Name vs. Server IP Address Access

Marc

We have a small network with one domain controller/DNS server and when we
access a folder or .exe on this server using \\ServerName\folder or
\\ServerName\folder\ExeName everything works fine. When we use
\\ServerIPAddress\folder or \\ServerIPAddress\folder\ExeName we get an error
saying that the folder or exe cannot be found. I know that we are using the
correct IP Address. Is this a security thing or do we have something set
wrong on our server.
Thanks for your help.
Marc

Lanwench [MVP - Exchange]

Marc <> wrote:
> We have a small network with one domain controller/DNS server and
> when we access a folder or .exe on this server using
> \\ServerName\folder or \\ServerName\folder\ExeName everything works
> fine. When we use \\ServerIPAddress\folder or
> \\ServerIPAddress\folder\ExeName we get an error saying that the
> folder or exe cannot be found. I know that we are using the correct
> IP Address. Is this a security thing or do we have something set
> wrong on our server.
> Thanks for your help.
> Marc

So, when you ping servername, you get serveripaddress in reply?
What happens if you just try to open \\serveripaddress ?

Also, I just have to ask...why are you trying to do stuff using IP addresses
anyway?

Lanwench [MVP - Exchange]

Marc <> wrote:
> We have a small network with one domain controller/DNS server and
> when we access a folder or .exe on this server using
> \\ServerName\folder or \\ServerName\folder\ExeName everything works
> fine. When we use \\ServerIPAddress\folder or
> \\ServerIPAddress\folder\ExeName we get an error saying that the
> folder or exe cannot be found. I know that we are using the correct
> IP Address. Is this a security thing or do we have something set
> wrong on our server.
> Thanks for your help.
> Marc

So, when you ping servername, you get serveripaddress in reply?
What happens if you just try to open \\serveripaddress ?

Also, I just have to ask...why are you trying to do stuff using IP addresses
anyway?

Marc

Yes, if I ping with server name the IP address is returned.

If I go to run and enter \\ip address, I get a prompt to log in to the server.
If I go to run and enter \\server name, I do not get this prompt it just
shows shares on server.

The reason we are looking at this is because when people use the VPN to
access this server, they have to use the IP address. So we were trying to
only use one method for local access and VPN access.
Thanks for your help,
Marc

"Lanwench [MVP - Exchange]" wrote:

> Marc <> wrote:
> > We have a small network with one domain controller/DNS server and
> > when we access a folder or .exe on this server using
> > \\ServerName\folder or \\ServerName\folder\ExeName everything works
> > fine. When we use \\ServerIPAddress\folder or
> > \\ServerIPAddress\folder\ExeName we get an error saying that the
> > folder or exe cannot be found. I know that we are using the correct
> > IP Address. Is this a security thing or do we have something set
> > wrong on our server.
> > Thanks for your help.
> > Marc
>
> So, when you ping servername, you get serveripaddress in reply?
> What happens if you just try to open \\serveripaddress ?
>
> Also, I just have to ask...why are you trying to do stuff using IP addresses
> anyway?
>
>
>

Marc

Yes, if I ping with server name the IP address is returned.

If I go to run and enter \\ip address, I get a prompt to log in to the server.
If I go to run and enter \\server name, I do not get this prompt it just
shows shares on server.

The reason we are looking at this is because when people use the VPN to
access this server, they have to use the IP address. So we were trying to
only use one method for local access and VPN access.
Thanks for your help,
Marc

"Lanwench [MVP - Exchange]" wrote:

> Marc <> wrote:
> > We have a small network with one domain controller/DNS server and
> > when we access a folder or .exe on this server using
> > \\ServerName\folder or \\ServerName\folder\ExeName everything works
> > fine. When we use \\ServerIPAddress\folder or
> > \\ServerIPAddress\folder\ExeName we get an error saying that the
> > folder or exe cannot be found. I know that we are using the correct
> > IP Address. Is this a security thing or do we have something set
> > wrong on our server.
> > Thanks for your help.
> > Marc
>
> So, when you ping servername, you get serveripaddress in reply?
> What happens if you just try to open \\serveripaddress ?
>
> Also, I just have to ask...why are you trying to do stuff using IP addresses
> anyway?
>
>
>

Lanwench [MVP - Exchange]

Marc <> wrote:
> Yes, if I ping with server name the IP address is returned.
>
> If I go to run and enter \\ip address, I get a prompt to log in to
> the server. If I go to run and enter \\server name, I do not get this
> prompt it just shows shares on server.
>
> The reason we are looking at this is because when people use the VPN
> to access this server, they have to use the IP address. So we were
> trying to only use one method for local access and VPN access.
> Thanks for your help,
> Marc

Hmm - I'm not sure what to tell you about this specifically (and I agree you
should worry about/fix it), but note that your VPN users should receive your
internal DNS server's IP address (and WINS server IP) when they connect.

Users shouldn't ever have to know IP addresses, and you want the flexibility
to move things around on your network without having to notify users.

You might post an unedited ipconfig /all from your server and from a client
workstation.

>
> "Lanwench [MVP - Exchange]" wrote:
>
>> Marc <> wrote:
>>> We have a small network with one domain controller/DNS server and
>>> when we access a folder or .exe on this server using
>>> \\ServerName\folder or \\ServerName\folder\ExeName everything works
>>> fine. When we use \\ServerIPAddress\folder or
>>> \\ServerIPAddress\folder\ExeName we get an error saying that the
>>> folder or exe cannot be found. I know that we are using the correct
>>> IP Address. Is this a security thing or do we have something set
>>> wrong on our server.
>>> Thanks for your help.
>>> Marc
>>
>> So, when you ping servername, you get serveripaddress in reply?
>> What happens if you just try to open \\serveripaddress ?
>>
>> Also, I just have to ask...why are you trying to do stuff using IP
>> addresses anyway?

Lanwench [MVP - Exchange]

Marc <> wrote:
> Yes, if I ping with server name the IP address is returned.
>
> If I go to run and enter \\ip address, I get a prompt to log in to
> the server. If I go to run and enter \\server name, I do not get this
> prompt it just shows shares on server.
>
> The reason we are looking at this is because when people use the VPN
> to access this server, they have to use the IP address. So we were
> trying to only use one method for local access and VPN access.
> Thanks for your help,
> Marc

Hmm - I'm not sure what to tell you about this specifically (and I agree you
should worry about/fix it), but note that your VPN users should receive your
internal DNS server's IP address (and WINS server IP) when they connect.

Users shouldn't ever have to know IP addresses, and you want the flexibility
to move things around on your network without having to notify users.

You might post an unedited ipconfig /all from your server and from a client
workstation.

>
> "Lanwench [MVP - Exchange]" wrote:
>
>> Marc <> wrote:
>>> We have a small network with one domain controller/DNS server and
>>> when we access a folder or .exe on this server using
>>> \\ServerName\folder or \\ServerName\folder\ExeName everything works
>>> fine. When we use \\ServerIPAddress\folder or
>>> \\ServerIPAddress\folder\ExeName we get an error saying that the
>>> folder or exe cannot be found. I know that we are using the correct
>>> IP Address. Is this a security thing or do we have something set
>>> wrong on our server.
>>> Thanks for your help.
>>> Marc
>>
>> So, when you ping servername, you get serveripaddress in reply?
>> What happens if you just try to open \\serveripaddress ?
>>
>> Also, I just have to ask...why are you trying to do stuff using IP
>> addresses anyway?