Can you list your ISP as your DNS server?

[josh0227]

I have a simple question. If I have a home network, with a windows 2000/2003 server and a workstation, could I use my ISP's DNS server as a secondary DNS server? Of course the primary dns address would be the DNS server's IP.

What about on a work network? Could the ISP's dns address be a secondary if it is the only DC in the company?

Also, if DNS fails on your network, where do your dc/workstations go for name resolution for things like web addresses and other workstation names?

Thanks for you help.

 

[jcisco2]

No your ISP will not have all your workstations mapping information. now if you just wanted to have your workstations use your ISP's DNS just for internet that would work just fine. we use ours for fail over. if dns fails on your network it will check to see what its fail over dns is (secondary dns) if none is listed then it goes to WINS, then the workstations HOST file, then LMHost file (may have those backwards.) But your ISP's DNS will not know your workstations IP Addresses it will only know public IP's.

hope that helps
cheers.

 

[johndweidauer]

i have configured DHCP on my firewall and configured my first two DNSs as DNS on my network (domain controllers), then a third entry that is my ISP DNS. Seems to work ok, as it should.

 

[jcisco2]

yeah. your domain controller dns knows of your ISP DNS. i'm saying if your domain controller(s) went down your ISP DNS does not know about 10.1.1.45 to hostName or hostName to 10.1.1.45. WINS would, your DNS mappings on the inside network would. but your ISP wouldn't. that's what i meant by that.

 

[josh0227]

Ok. So if I understand correctly, using your isp's dns address will only assist you in finding the internet in the event that the "in house" dns server fails. In that event, you will not be able to find host name to ip addresses in your network, but will only be able to see the outside internet. Correct?

Thanks.

 

[jcisco2]

correct. but don't forget that netbios will try to resolve network names to ipaddresses as well.

 

[josh0227]

Does windows 2000/xp/2003 use netbios, if it is using TCP/IP?