CNAME Issue

[wiimike]

Hello all,

I'm trying to redirect an internal URL (aka TestCName.myorg.org) to an outside web address (as an example, I'm using mail.google.com) and while it resolves to the correct IP address (verified by ping) when I type it into a web browser it just lags for a while then goes to a Plesk control Panel Parellels thing saying

"If you see this page it means:
1. hosting for this domain is not configured
or
2. there's no such domain registered in Parallels Plesk Control Panel "

am I doing something wrong here? I must be, but I'm unsure of what and have little experience with CNAMES and none going from an inside name to an outside FQDN

 

[Dublin73]

start with the basics... what happens when you forget about the cname record and from a client type in just the IP address? For example, typing this into a browser...

http://216.45.19.33

will take you to the tek-tips.com website. what happens when you type into a browser

http://ip

address of the server on the internet that you're trying to get to?

does this simple test work?

 

[PScottC]

Setting up a CNAME for your own internal servers is fine, but once you start directing to external servers you may run into host header issues.

So if you're "aliasing" mail.google.com as mail.mydomain.tld what's going to happen is this:

Web server for google is going to recieve the request from your client on x IP address and asking for mail.mydomain.tld. The webserver will check to see if it has that page. If it doesn't, you will get the default page or an error.

If we're talking about a server hosting 50 web-sites on the same IP address, it will only be able to distinguish one site from another based on the host header.

PSC

Governments and corporations need people like you and me. We are samurai. The keyboard cowboys. And all those other people out there who have no idea what's going on are the cattle. Mooo! --Mr. The Plague, from the movie "Hackers

 

[wiimike]

Dublin73 the IP address bit does indeed not work.

PScottC, it seems you are correct, they have multiple sites for that IP address. With this in mind is there a way to set up what I want?

 

[PScottC]

Set up a web server internally. Build a site with the name you want to go to. Create a file called default.htm. Put the following line into the file.

<META HTTP-EQUIV=REFRESH CONTENT="0; URL=http://mail.google.com">

This will redirect your client to the correct website and update the URL bar at the same time.

PSC

Governments and corporations need people like you and me. We are samurai. The keyboard cowboys. And all those other people out there who have no idea what's going on are the cattle. Mooo! --Mr. The Plague, from the movie "Hackers

 

[wiimike]

found an IIS server I can use, it already has one site so the test is the second. I've created a website (right click "Web Sites" click create website).

From what I understand in order to create a site that isn't the only site I need to go to "web site" tab, click advanced, under "multiple identities" I need to click the IP, hit edit, and give it a host header (in this case "gmail"). Then I need to create an A record with the correct IP address with the prefix I want so like "gmail.mycompany.org".

I'm lost on how to differentiate the two sites using an A record, and am not sure if I've done something incorrect, I only know that what I've done isn't working yet.

Thanks a ton for your help PSC.

 

[PScottC]

Create a CNAME in your DNS where gmail --> webserver FQDN.

You should probably include 2 host headers in your website... gmail & gmail.yourdomain.tld

PSC

Governments and corporations need people like you and me. We are samurai. The keyboard cowboys. And all those other people out there who have no idea what's going on are the cattle. Mooo! --Mr. The Plague, from the movie "Hackers

 

[wiimike]

so by hosting a website with the host header "gmail" and "gmail.mydomain.org" and creating a CNAME record with "gmail.mydomain.com" pointing to the web server I could type into a URL "gmail.mydomain.org" and get the right web page?

It just seems weird that the CNAME wouldn't require any info that differentiates the default website from the gmail one.

I'll give it a shot today, thanks again for your help.

 

[wiimike]

IIS Server, second web-site (there is also a default) named gmail, it has host headers of "gmail" and "gmail.mydom.org"

In DNS, A record for my web server pointing to it's IP, CNAME of "gmail" which makes FQDN of "gmail.mydom.org" and points it to my web server's FQDN.

I ping gmail.mydom.org and get my web servers IP address.

I go to it through a web browser and get bupkis (aka nothing). There must be some missed step here.

Any and all help as always much appreciated.

 

[PScottC]

Did you set up redirection on the IIS site or build the default.htm file?

PSC

Governments and corporations need people like you and me. We are samurai. The keyboard cowboys. And all those other people out there who have no idea what's going on are the cattle. Mooo! --Mr. The Plague, from the movie "Hackers

 

[wiimike]

http://gmail.mydom.org/

does not resolve

http://gmail.mydom.org/anything

resolves to the default website

 

[wiimike]

my default.htm had the text "<META HTTP-EQUIV=REFRESH CONTENT="0; URL=http://mail.google.com">" in it

I've changed it to redirection with "exact url above" for "

http://gmail.mydom.org"

Neither seem to work, It seems either a problem with the website or the differentiation of sites?

 

[PScottC]

Test your HTM file by double-clicking on it. You should get redirected.

PSC

Governments and corporations need people like you and me. We are samurai. The keyboard cowboys. And all those other people out there who have no idea what's going on are the cattle. Mooo! --Mr. The Plague, from the movie "Hackers

 

[wiimike]

it does indeed work as expected