Trying to Join A Domian

Hi All, wonder if you can help

I have a server with windows 2003 on
1 x desktop
1 x laptop
1 x 4 port router

The server has been configured as a domain controller, a DNS server and a DHCP server

The DHCP scope is 192.168.0.1 to 198.168.254
Exceptions are 192.168.0.1 to 192.168.0.5

The router is on 192.168.0.1
The Static IP addy of the server and the DNS addy is 192.168.0.5

the server is ported into lan port 1 on the router, desktop on 2 and laptop on 4

The laptop receives its TCP/IP settings from DHCP server above as does the desktop.

Problem 1 - laptop receives it DHCP settings and is given 192.168.0.6 brill -- thats what I expect because 192.168.0.1 to .5 are exclusions

Desktop receives 192.168.0.10 - why does it not receive 192.168.0.7 - next ip addy in scope

I can ping my server by name (Server01) and by domain - contoso.com from both laptop and desktop. I can also ping gateway and ping out to the net

Problem 2

I cannot get either the desktop or the laptop to join a domain

I get a Network not found error message. The DNS addy is the server addy which it should be

If I do nslookup I get contoso.local as expected

DCDIAG also reports no errors - so why can I not get the computers to join the domain ? I am using an administrator account to join them that has the rights to !!

Do I need to configure the server to have Router & RRAS Role aswell ?

Absolutely stumped on this one - any help very much appreciated

regards Brett