Only top level portion of domain name displays on domain members

I struggled with this one and finally figured it out but I want to
understand what is going on with this network.
Single DC on the network. When I looked at all of the domain members
under computer properties, the domain name only reads "local". I also
looked under the active directory on the server and the computer
properties of the server and it was listed as "local". I assumed that
someone prior to me had set this up as a single level DNS domain
name. So I tried to add a member with "local" as the domain name and
it continued to fail.
So eventually I noticed that if I browsed the network on a workstation
that was already part of the domain the domain name was actually
"DOMAIN". So I tried to add the member with this name and it worked.
But it still displays as simply "local" when viewed under computer
properties, under active directory on the DC, etc.
Why is the FQDN not showing. I expect it to be displayed as
"DOMAIN.local"??
Is there a group policy setting that hides this part of the domain
name.
All is working fine I just wanted to understand why this is happening?

Lanwench
Tue May 06 16:17:31 PDT 2008

jawdoc <drbrooks@msoms.com> wrote:
> I struggled with this one and finally figured it out but I want to
> understand what is going on with this network.
> Single DC on the network.

Hi - are you actually using SBS? I ask because it would be unusual to see
anything that funky in an SBS install (if it were properly done). If you
aren't using SBS, your question belongs in another group- such as
microsoft.public.windows.active_directory.

> When I looked at all of the domain members
> under computer properties, the domain name only reads "local". I also
> looked under the active directory on the server and the computer
> properties of the server and it was listed as "local". I assumed that
> someone prior to me had set this up as a single level DNS domain
> name. So I tried to add a member with "local" as the domain name and
> it continued to fail.
> So eventually I noticed that if I browsed the network on a workstation
> that was already part of the domain the domain name was actually
> "DOMAIN".

That's the NetBIOS name of the domain,yes.

> So I tried to add the member with this name and it worked.
> But it still displays as simply "local" when viewed under computer
> properties, under active directory on the DC, etc.
> Why is the FQDN not showing.

Perhaps it is!

> I expect it to be displayed as
> "DOMAIN.local"??

Only if it were called that. What do you see if you open up Active Directory
Domains and Trusts?

> Is there a group policy setting that hides this part of the domain
> name.

Nope.

> All is working fine I just wanted to understand why this is happening?


If you have a single label domain then you do have some problems (even if
you don't know about them yet.....)

jawdoc
Tue May 06 19:19:45 PDT 2008

On May 6, 6:17=A0pm, "Lanwench [MVP - Exchange]"
<lanwe...@heybuddy.donotsendme.unsolicitedmailatyahoo.com> wrote:
> jawdoc <drbro...@msoms.com> wrote:
> > I struggled with this one and finally figured it out but I want to
> > understand what is going on with this network.
> > Single DC on the network.
>
> Hi - are you actually using SBS? I ask because it would be unusual to see
> anything that funky in an SBS install (if it were properly done). If you
> aren't using SBS, your question belongs in another group- such as
> microsoft.public.windows.active_directory.
>
> > When I looked at all of the domain members
> > under computer properties, the domain name only reads "local". =A0I also=

> > looked under the active directory on the server and the computer
> > properties of the server and it was listed as "local". =A0I assumed that=

> > someone prior to me had set this up as a single level DNS domain
> > name. =A0So I tried to add a member with "local" as the domain name and
> > it continued to fail.
> > So eventually I noticed that if I browsed the network on a workstation
> > that was already part of the domain the domain name was actually
> > "DOMAIN".
>
> That's the NetBIOS name of the domain,yes.
>
> > =A0So I tried to add the member with this name and it worked.
> > But it still displays as simply "local" when viewed under computer
> > properties, under active directory on the DC, etc.
> > Why is the FQDN not showing.
>
> Perhaps it is!
>
> > I expect it to be displayed as
> > "DOMAIN.local"??
>
> Only if it were called that. What do you see if you open up Active Directo=
ry
> Domains and Trusts?
>
> > Is there a group policy setting that hides this part of the domain
> > name.
>
> Nope.
>
> > All is working fine I just wanted to understand why this is happening?
>
> If you have a single label domain then you do have some problems (even if
> you don't know about them yet.....)

What do you see if you open up Active Directory
> Domains and Trusts?

"local"

Lanwench
Tue May 06 19:45:20 PDT 2008

jawdoc <drbrooks@msoms.com> wrote:
> On May 6, 6:17 pm, "Lanwench [MVP - Exchange]"
> <lanwe...@heybuddy.donotsendme.unsolicitedmailatyahoo.com> wrote:
>> jawdoc <drbro...@msoms.com> wrote:
>>> I struggled with this one and finally figured it out but I want to
>>> understand what is going on with this network.
>>> Single DC on the network.
>>
>> Hi - are you actually using SBS? I ask because it would be unusual
>> to see anything that funky in an SBS install (if it were properly
>> done). If you aren't using SBS, your question belongs in another
>> group- such as microsoft.public.windows.active_directory.
>>
>>> When I looked at all of the domain members
>>> under computer properties, the domain name only reads "local". I
>>> also looked under the active directory on the server and the
>>> computer properties of the server and it was listed as "local". I
>>> assumed that someone prior to me had set this up as a single level
>>> DNS domain name. So I tried to add a member with "local" as the
>>> domain name and it continued to fail.
>>> So eventually I noticed that if I browsed the network on a
>>> workstation that was already part of the domain the domain name was
>>> actually "DOMAIN".
>>
>> That's the NetBIOS name of the domain,yes.
>>
>>> So I tried to add the member with this name and it worked.
>>> But it still displays as simply "local" when viewed under computer
>>> properties, under active directory on the DC, etc.
>>> Why is the FQDN not showing.
>>
>> Perhaps it is!
>>
>>> I expect it to be displayed as
>>> "DOMAIN.local"??
>>
>> Only if it were called that. What do you see if you open up Active
>> Directory Domains and Trusts?
>>
>>> Is there a group policy setting that hides this part of the domain
>>> name.
>>
>> Nope.
>>
>>> All is working fine I just wanted to understand why this is
>>> happening?
>>
>> If you have a single label domain then you do have some problems
>> (even if you don't know about them yet.....)
>
> What do you see if you open up Active Directory
>> Domains and Trusts?
>
> "local"


It's a single label domain, which is not great. And you didn't answer or
address any of my other questions/comments which makes it very difficult to
help.