We recently installed a small Windows Server 2012 Essentials network. We are experiencing a persistent problem with one (and only one) of the workstations. We had to install/remove/reinstall the "connector" software on this machine because of profile migration problems. It was a standalone Windows 7 laptop prior to joining the network. That was also the case for the other workstations, but their profile conversions went through smoothly the first time we ran the "connector" software.
The actual IP address of this machine is 192.168.1.11 (based on IPCONIG run on the machine, data from the router's connected devices table, etc.). The machine name is PANASONIC. However, for some reason, the Win 2012 server links the PANASONIC computer to the IP of 192.168.1.4 (rather than 11). This incorrect value is present in the server's DNS client resolver cache (as displayed by IPCONFIG /displaydns when run on the server). Even when I purged the DNS resolver cache (IPCONFIG /FlushDNS). The incorrect pairing of PANASONIC with 192.168.1.4 keeps coming back. By the way, there are no additional entries in the HOSTS file on either the server or the workstation (they are the standard blank Windows HOSTS files).
As you know, Windows 2012 Essentials provides a DNS role to the 2012E server. So I thought I would check the data there (Administrative Tools > DNS > Forward Lookup Zones > actual domain name). I found the Panasonic listed there. Under properties was an IP address field of 192.168.1.4 with a "timestamp" date of 12-23-2013, which is when we initially added the workstation to the 2012E network. Perhaps that was the IP value initially obtained on the first run of the "connector" program.
This incorrect name/IP pairing has caused a number of problems (including the inability to use Remote Web Workplace to connect to this workstation, which we can do with all of the other machines on this network).
To solve the problem, should I manually change the IP address value in the DNS settings described above for the Panasonic machine? If so, should I also check the "update associated pointer (PTR) record" box?
If this is not the correct solution to the problem, can you suggest anything else I can do to resolve this persistent difficulty? Sorry if these are obvious questions, but DNS is not my area of expertise.
Thanks very much.
John
John