Essentials 2016 unable to connect Microsoft DNS during Anywhere Access setup

Question

Hi, I'm getting the below message during first time Anywhere Access setup on our Windows Server Essentials 2016;

An error occurred while setting up your domain name

The domain name was not set up for your server. Wait a few minutes and run the wizard again.

An unknown error occurred. Please wait a few minutes, and then try again.

This is a clean install, fully updated.

The dashboard log shows as follows;

[6892] 230303.081801.4072: DomainManagerObjectModel: DomainSignupManager ctor called. InstanceID=10058896
[8892] 230303.081801.8291: DomainManagerObjectModel: Starting KeepAlive timer for instanceID=7
[6892] 230303.081801.8760: RemoteAccessSettings: domainManager.connect() completed
[1964] 230303.081805.2045: GitmeInfrastructure: GetReferralServiceBaseUri: read referral Service Uri from registry:
[1964] 230303.081805.2201: FwlinkHelper: Failed to get forwarded link from fwlink https://go.microsoft.com/fwlink/?LinkID=532357 with error The remote name could not be resolved: 'go.microsoft.com'.
[1964] 230303.081805.2201: GitmeInfrastructure: GetReferralServiceBaseUri: Failed to get the base URL of the referral service.
[6892] 230303.081805.3764: DomainConfigWizard: Error occurred in Domain Manager Object Model operations: ErrorCode:0
BaseException: Microsoft.WindowsServerSolutions.Networking.DomainPurchaseClient.ReferralServerCommunicationException: Failed to get the base URL of the referral service.
   at Microsoft.WindowsServerSolutions.Networking.DomainPurchaseClient.ReferralServiceData.GetReferralServiceBaseUri()
   at Microsoft.WindowsServerSolutions.Networking.DomainPurchaseClient.ReferralServiceData.InitGlobalValidTLDs()
   at System.ComponentModel.BackgroundWorker.OnDoWork(DoWorkEventArgs e)
   at System.ComponentModel.BackgroundWorker.WorkerThreadStart(Object argument)
[6892] 230303.081805.3764: DomainConfigWizard: The exception is not a DomainManagerFault exception

Seems to fail getting base URL from referral service.

In Health Monitoring I'm getting the following warning;

Active Directory domain names can't be resolved

Windows Server Essentials cannot resolve Active Directory domain names using the current DNS settings.

The Server has a static IP address of - 192.168.1.2

Gateway - 192.168.1.1

DNS 1 - 192.168.1.1

DNS 2 - 8.8.8.8

Additional info:

• On Canyouseeme.org ports 80 and 443 are open and our router directs these to the server on 192.168.1.2
• Default Firewall settings
• Also I am unable to connect any PC to the server using the Client Connector, get a message of ;

Cannot connect this computer to the network

The server is not available. Try connecting this computer again

Any help would be greatly appreciated.

Answer 1

Hello there,

Many users have faced this issue and updating the .net framework has sorted this issue. Anywhere Access unable to connect Microsoft DNS https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/answers/questions/324826/anywhere-access-unable-to-connect-microsoft-dns

Do you have a router that supports UPnP and be configured correctly for server essentials?

Do you have the correct alternate DNS on the server?

Certain Router & firewall settings are not supported in UPNP and might cause this issue.

https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/answers/questions/324826/anywhere-access-unable-to-connect-microsoft-dns.html

Hope this resolves your Query !!

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