We noticed that even after configuring a device as part of an AD domain, the Windows client does not register in DNS and/or DNS table. This prohibits the client machine from accessing the organization’s data and even limits its ability to connect to the internal network. In this article, we will talk about this problem and see what you can do if your client computer is not registered in DNS.

Why is Windows server DNS client not working?

Windows Server DNS client may not work due to various reasons such as incorrect DNS configuration settings, network connectivity issues, and service malfunctions. However, if a Windows client fails to register DNS, it is due to disabled dynamic DNS updating or misconfigured network settings. In the next section, we will explore this latter question in detail.

Fix Windows Client Not Registering in DNS

If the Windows client is not registering in DNS even after configuring a device as part of an AD domain, follow the solutions mentioned below.

1. Enable dynamic DNS updates on the client
2. Manually register DNS
3. Configure domain-wide GPO
4. Check if your computer is part of the domain
5. Set dynamic updates to accept insecure and secure updates

Let’s discuss it in detail.

1) Enable dynamic DNS updates on the client

One of the reasons why your client does not automatically record the change in DNS is that dynamic DNS allocation or updating is not enabled. We need to configure Group Policy on the client to enable it. To do this, follow the steps mentioned below.

1. Open Group Policy Management Console.
2. Then go to Computer Configuration > Administrative Templates > Network > DNS Client.
3. Look for it Dynamic updates policy there, double-click it, then set it to Enabled.
4. Click Apply > Ok to save the changes.

Now check if the problem is resolved, in case it still persists, move on to the next solution.

2) Manually register DNS

If after enabling dynamic provisioning you encounter the same problem, we recommend registering DNS manually using Command Prompt. So open it Command Prompt as administrator, then run the following commands one by one.

ipconfig /registerdns

net stop netlogon

net start netlogon

Once done, check if your client has registered DNS. I hope this does the trick for you.

3) Configure domain-wide GPO

Let’s check if the domain-wide GPO is configured to allow DNS record refresh. We will configure the Registration refresh interval, which determines the frequency of attempts a DNS client will make to register its DNS record. This interval is crucial to ensuring that a client’s DNS records remain up to date, especially in environments where IP addresses may change frequently, such as those using DHCP. To configure it, follow the steps mentioned below.

1. Open Group Policy Object on your domain computer.
2. Go to Computer Configuration > Administrative Templates > Network > DNS Client.
3. To research Registration refresh interval, double-click it, set it to Enabled, then set its value to 1800 (or any other as you wish).
4. Click Apply > Ok.

Check if the problem persists.

Read: How to Change Group Policy Refresh Interval for Windows 11

4) Check if your computer is part of the domain

It’s possible that after an update your client computer will be unregistered from the domain, and if that’s the case, there’s no way a DNS change will be recorded there. To check this we need to see the domain the system is part of. To do this, we have two methods.

• Open the Run dialog box (Win + R), type “sysdm.cpl” and press Enter. In the System Properties window, under the Computer name tab, check the Working group.
• Launch it Command Prompt as administrator, then run systeminfo | findstr /B /C: "Domain" to see your domain. If it says WORKING GROUP, you are not part of any domain.

If you are not part of the domain, you must contact your organization’s IT administrator, who will add your user to Active Directory.

Read: Enable and configure DNS aging and cleanup in Windows Server

5) Set dynamic updates to accept insecure and secure

If all else fails, we have a workaround you can try if the work at hand is very large. We will set dynamic updating to allow both secure and non-secure updates of DNS records. So if your device doesn’t support secure update, this will do the trick. However, you can skip this solution if you want to maintain the utmost privacy and security. To do this, follow the steps mentioned below.

1. Open it DNS Manager.
2. Now, expand the server node and locate the area you want to configure.
3. Right-click on the area and select Properties.
4. Go to General and from the Dynamic Updates drop-down menu, select Unsafe and secure.
5. Click Apply > Ok.

Finally, check if the client can register DNS.

I hope you can resolve the issue using the solutions mentioned here.

Read: Windows cannot resolve domain name

How to enable DNS client service?

We can enable DNS client service from Services application. So, press Win + S, type “Services”, and open the utility. Now look for it DNS client, double-click it and click To start. You can also set the Startup type has Automatic then click Apply > Ok.

Read also: Troubleshoot DNS-related activation issues on Windows Server.