DNS cannot resolve names?

[schultzm]

I have an office network with a W2K3 server that acts as the DNS server, 5 PCs running XP professional, a Watchguard Edge X15 firewall and a D-Link ADSL router.

For some odd reason the only way I can get DNS to work correctly is to install the Watchguard Mobile User VPN software on the server and XP workstations. The only thing that this appears to bring to the table is a driver called the "determinitsic network enhancer". With the MUVPN software disabled but the DNE driver installed everything works fine - without the DNE driver DNS cannot resolve names or it resolves the name correctly but cannot physically access the site.

Help!!

[Variable]

Sounds like the Watchguard is not set up correctly. clients should ask for DNS resolves locally and if the DNS server does not have the record cached it should ask up to your ISP. Since you bring up the watchguard software allows you to surf, I would think the watchguard is blocking DNS requests from your server. There must be a log, you could look there. You could also allow the DNS server to communicate out on port 53. Established connections should be allowed out anyway, it sounds like the firewall may be set to restrictive. I would read the watchguard manual.

[schultzm]

There are no log entries on the Watchguard Edge X15 to indicate the firewall is blocking DNS requests from the W2K3 server.

If the Watchguard Edge X15 was blocking the DNS there would be entries (Watchguard tech support have confirmed the configuration is correct).

When the Watchguard Mobile User VPN is installed it is left inactive i.e. there is no VPN active.

I wonder if the windows firewall is the problem?

[Variable]

Pull the watchguard out of the equation and see if the problem persists. I can't beleive it logs every time it blocks something. It would be insanely huge log. Windows firewall won't block pings unless you tell it to.