How to fix clients not showing up in WSUS server

If you’re wondering what is WSUS and need help solving the issue of clients not showing up in your WSUS server, this guide will walk you through each step to fix it. From ensuring Group Policy is applied correctly to verifying WSUS settings, checking DNS resolution, and testing client-server communication, we’ll cover all the practical steps you need. Each solution is designed to help you quickly pinpoint and resolve the problem, ensuring your WSUS server runs smoothly and keeps your systems up-to-date.

Table of Content

What is WSUS server?

WSUS server stands for Windows Server Update Services server, a Microsoft tool designed to help IT administrators efficiently manage updates within a corporate environment. Instead of allowing client computers to independently download updates from Microsoft Update, the WSUS server acts as a centralized manager. This setup enables administrators to control which updates are approved and when they are installed on network computers, offering greater oversight and precision.

The primary role of WSUS server is to ensure that every machine in the network has the latest security patches, critical updates, and software enhancements. It is a vital component in maintaining not only the security of the systems but also the efficiency of the network. By centralizing update management, WSUS minimizes bandwidth usage and helps avoid compatibility issues by allowing thorough testing before deployment.

Additionally, WSUS server provides detailed reporting features, allowing IT professionals to track the update status of all registered devices. This visibility ensures that no system is left vulnerable and helps comply with organizational policies or legal requirements. Whether managing a handful of machines or thousands, WSUS is an essential tool for keeping your network secure, updated, and running smoothly.

Prerequisite Table

Requirement	Description	Details
Operating System	The required operating system for WSUS installation	Windows Server 2016, 2019, or 2022 recommended
Processor	Minimum CPU requirement	1.4 GHz (64-bit processor); 2 GHz or faster recommended
RAM	Memory required for WSUS	Minimum 2 GB; 4 GB or more recommended
Disk Space	Storage needed for updates and database	Minimum 10 GB for WSUS content; 40 GB or more recommended
Database	WSUS database requirement	Microsoft SQL Server or Windows Internal Database (WID)
IIS Role	Internet Information Services requirements	IIS must be installed and properly configured in the server
Network Bandwidth	Needed bandwidth for updates	Depends on the size of updates and number of clients; a stable connection is vital
Group Policy	Required to configure client settings for WSUS	Specify the WSUS server in Group Policy for client systems
DNS Configuration	DNS must resolve WSUS server	Ensure proper DNS records for WSUS server hosting
Windows Update Configuration	Client update configuration	Configure clients to check for updates from the WSUS server via Group Policy settings
User Permissions	Administrative privileges required	Must have admin rights to configure and manage the WSUS server
Firewall	Firewall exemptions for WSUS ports	Open ports 8530 and 8531 for inbound and outbound traffic

Specification Table

Requirement	Description	Details
Ports (Server)	Ports used for WSUS server communication	Port 8530 (HTTP) and 8531 (HTTPS)
Ports (Client)	Ports used for clients to connect to WSUS	Port 8530 (HTTP) and 8531 (HTTPS)

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Troubleshooting WSUS server

1 – I am assuming that you are using Group Policies to apply the WSUS settings to your clients, so first of all, check if the WSUS policy was properly applied to computer.

To do that, open the prompt as administrator and run the command: gpresult /r

Ok?

In the picture above, we can see that the computer has the WSUS GPO properly applied to it, so this is not the issue and you can move ahead.

Not Ok?

However, if you haven’t seen your GPO in the output, make sure the computer is properly scoped in the GPO Security Filter and the policy is linked to an OU in a way that it could reach the computer object, so you must review your GPO configuration.

2 – Next, once confirmed the GPO has been applied to your client, check the WSUS settings the client is receiving. In this step you want to make sure there is no other GPO in your environment wrongly applying the same settings and so, preceding the correct ones.

To do that, open the prompt as administrator and type:

reg query HKLM\SOFTWARE\Policies\Microsoft\Windows\WindowsUpdate

Make sure the output shows the correct information for your environment.

Ok?

So if you confirm that the output is correctly showing the settings you have configured in your GPO, you can move ahead.

Not Ok? Clients not showing up in WSUS still?

If the settings shown are not those you have configured, come back to your GPO management and make sure there is no another old Policy applying the same settings. A really nice way to find out which GPO is applying the settings to your client is executing the command: rsop.msc

Find out more about Resultant Set of Policy here.

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3 – So far so good? Time to test DNS resolution, to do that execute in a prompt:

nslookup wsusservername

Ok?

All right, no issues with DNS resolution, you were able to resolve the WSUS hostname from your client, move ahead. 

Not Ok?

Confirm that your client has the correct IP addresses of your DNS servers set up in the NIC properties, if all are good on client side, confirm if the WSUS server has a record type A on your DNS zone, if not, time to add it!!

4 – It’s time to test if the communication is allowed from client to server. The default WSUS port used for that 8530, so if you have any different port used in your environment, make sure to use it at this test.

To do that, download the tool called Port Query and open it from your client computer:

The tool is easy to use, just type your WSUS server hostname, or IP address, after, type the WSUS port, and click on Query, as shown above.

Ok?

If you got an output LISTENING as above, the traffic is allowed and you can move on.

Not Ok?

If you got an output FILTERED, your firewall is blocking communication and you must open it.

5 – Ok, none of the above steps were your problem so far? Let’s have a look if the Windows Update service is started and correctly set up as Automatic. To do so, type Run, services.msc

Ok?

If all looks above, you can move on to the next step.

Not Ok? Clients not showing up in WSUS still?

If the Windows Update service is not started, make sure to set up it as Automatic, and start the service.

6 – One more attempt now, would be to reset the registry SusClientID in your client computer. Usually issues like that, could be a result of cloning a virtual machine without executing Sysprep on it, so you could have duplicate IDs on network.

To do that, follow the steps shown at picture below:

Ok?

Wait two minutes and refresh the WSUS console, the computer client should be listed now.

Clients not showing up in WSUS server still?

Right, 95% of all times I have faced this issue, one of the above steps worked for me.

Still need help with clients not showing up in WSUS server?

If after to go through all steps, your client computer is still not showing up in WSUS console, it may have a deeper issue on its OS, maybe a virus, or it’s missing a service pack. You will need to act on this client using different ways to repair the OS.

If you are running out of ideas or time and need help, I will be glad to provide a quick analysis of the issue and how to resolve it, just get in touch with me in my contact me page here, or using the below form:

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