Windows 10 clients cannot connect to Windows Server Essentials 2016 using the the Essentials connector

Question

My server running Windows Server Essentials 2016 has been originally used via the Remotewebacess (AnywhereAcess).

Now we have decided to add 2 Windows 10 laptops to be able to access it via the LAN by deploying the Windows Essentials connector.

Anytime we run the connector wizard, we are getting the error "Cannot connect this computer to the network".

I made sure that Primary DNS IP is set to WSE server IP and Alternate DNS is using the Router IP.
I also disabled the WSE Windows firewall, but the issue remains.

I truly don't know what to do from here.

Any help is welcome.

Answer 1

Hello @Babs-9473

1). check your NIC bindings and put IPv4 first above IPv6.

2). ensure the IP of the Essentials server is the ONLY DNS entry on the workstation.

3). check event log entries, the log files for the connect computer process is located in a hidden file on the C drive.

Also please refer to this article for troubleshoot: Troubleshoot connecting computers to the server in Windows Server Essentials

Best Regards
Karlie

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Answer 2

Hi Karlie,

I have remove the alternate DNS IP and retried the WSE connector installation , but it is still failing.
I have checked the Logs folder on the client, but I don't see an entry can pinpoint the root cause of the issue.
Another thing, when removing the Alternate DNS IP (router), the client would not connect to the Internet anymore.
I found a youtube video that suggested to modify an item under the registry (SkipAutoDNSServerDetection to TRUE), but that did not solve the issue.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YLRU7Fm9gvs&t=355s

PS: I also tried to manually join the Windows 10 client to the domain and the operation has been successful. It is just joining the domain with the WSE connector that is failing.