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SECTION VIII - HOW TO ADD A LOOPBACK ADAPTER
For Direct Server Return Mode, a loopback adapter (Windows) or setting of similar function (*nix OS) is
required.
Installing the Microsoft® Loopback Adapter (pre-Windows 8/Server 2012)
Click Add Hardware -> Add a new device -> No, I want to select the hardware from a list, and
select Microsoft® Loopback Adapter from the list and click OK.
At the Microsoft® Loopback Adapter Card Setup screen hit OK to the default of 802.3
You should be prompted for the path to the NT setup files. Click Continue once the path is
correct.
Click Close. Reboot maybe necessary. Go to step below for Configuring the Microsoft®
Loopback Adapter.
Configuring the Microsoft® Loopback Adapter (pre-Windows 8/Server 2012)
If not there already, go to Start > Settings > Control Panel > Network > Protocols tab
Select TCP/IP and click the Properties button
You should be at the Microsoft® TCP/IP Properties dialog box. Be sure the Microsoft®
Loopback Adapter is the Adapter selected. Enter your farm IP address for IP address (The
subnet mask should match your servers, change it if not). Make sure not to enter Default
Gateway or DNS for this loopback adapter.
Click Apply, then OK, then “Yes” when prompted to restart the computer
For Microsoft® Windows® 2003 Server, make sure the metric is the highest number in the
routing table, stop here.
The highest number meaning 1000 is higher than 100. You need to make sure that
the Loopback Adapter has the highest number in the routing table. Giving a lower number
means a higher priority. You want the Loopback Adapter to have the lowest route priority,
therefore a higher number value.
If you are noticing that the Loopback Adapter is picking up or creating NetBIOS chatter, you will
need to turn off anything related to Client for Microsoft® Networks, File and Printer Sharing for
Microsoft® Networks, and WINS. Right click on the Loopback Adapter icon, and click on
Properties.
In the Networking tab, unselect “Client for Microsoft® Networks” and “File and
Printer Sharing for Microsoft® Networks.” Next click on “Internet Protocol Version 4 (TCP/IP)”
then click the Properties button. In the General tab, click the Advanced button. Click on the
WINS tab and unselect Enable LMHOSTS lookup and select Disable NetBIOS over TCP/IP.
Click OK in the various windows to make all the changes permanent.
Installing the Microsoft® Loopback Adapter (Windows 8/Server 2012 and newer)
Open Device Manger.