I set up a Windows Server 2008 Enterprise machine for my home network. Previously I was running a server with Windows XP Pro and Internet onnection Sharing (ICS) to enable my local PCs to access the Internet. However I was having problems with it because that XP/ICS server machine stopped forwarding DNS requests to the ocal clients after a few days of uptime requiring me to reboot the server) so I had to specifically enter my ISP's DNS server IP into my local PC's network adapter connection properties, instead of just leaving 192.168.0.1 as a DNS there and etting the XP ICS forward it. Now I am trying Windows Server 2008 Enterprise or the same task except now I configured NAT instead of ICS. The problem now is that this server doesn't forward DNS requests AT ALL. If I configure my local client PC to obtain network settings automatically from the Windows Server 2008 machine (DHCP and DNS), it will get a random local IP assigned and the DNS will be set to 192.168.0.1. However, client browsing to www.google.com for example, will not work as it will not resolve the hostname to IP. Now I am wondering how come the old Windows XP Pro/ICS machine forwarded DNS requests properly (at least for the first few days of uptime) and Windows Server 2008 won't do that at all ? I don't want to manually enter my ISP's DNS servers into my client PC's network adapter properties. I'd prefer leaving the clients to obtain all info automatically (including the DNS server as 192.168.0.1) and then let Windows Server 2008 machine forward/resolve the hostnames for all the local clients automatically as they browse. How can I enable this DNS forwarding in Windows Server 2008 Enterprise ? By the way, I am not running any Active Directory or any other fancy services on this server. I only need it to act as a router for my local PCs so they can access the Internet (using NAT instead of ICS this time). Thanks for the answer(s).

You're breaking a fly on a wheel !!! Why don't using a cheep internet router instead. Don't forget, you always have to do the microsofts monthly patch day, even if you use the windows 2008 server as a gateway.

Assuming you are running both DHCP and DNS servers on 2008 - In DNS server settings, there is a 'forwarders' option. Enter external DNS there and it will forward any non-resolved query to that server. Or, if only DHCP - in scope options, set DNS server address to external one. If NAT works correctly, each computer would be able to connect to that DNS.