explain how "DNS" works 2

[WINDOWSGUY]

I have a small lan at work - i have a WEB server and a DNS server also a client workstation. I am connected to the internet thru my ISP provider. Without setting up my own DNS server - (i would ask my ISP's nameserver, which was configured when you dialed in or got my DHCP lease. It will be doing the rest of the work for you, because it operates recursively). Since i have configured my DNS server - what are the steps involed to search for a particular web site(ie.

http://www.tek-tips.com);

would it search my "DNS" server first??? Can i set up my "dns" server this way?
please help? where can i go for help, to configure my "DNS" server - thru my ISP supplier?

Ted

 

[Davetoo]

You set your ISP's DNS server in your DNS servers as a forwarder, and if it can't resolve from yours, it will forward to your ISP's to resolve.

I'm Certifiable, not certified.
It just means my answers are from experience, not a book.

 

[WINDOWSGUY]

hi lander215:
Thanks for all your help.On my lan I have a web server- DNS server and a couple of workstations, but my lan has a router in front of it -shareing my internet connections. Can I set up DNS inside my lan or does it have to be outside my lan(outside my router) to function correctly?
You see I will have to register all my 12 web sites with different domain names. Can I create all the differnent zones on my DNS server or do I have to use an external DNS server(MY ISP PROVIDER'S)since I have my DNS inside on my lan - which has a router? Could you shed some light on this matter?

 

[VinceF]

You can run DNS inside your firewall, it should run without issue.
You may, or may not, have to set up a zone for each of the sites you are hosting, it depends.

If the nameservers are hosted by the company that you registed the domain names with, then no, it will not be necessary to set up a zone for each domain. What would happen is you register the CNAME or A record for the website with the registrar of the domain.

Lets say you have abc.com and that nameserver is held by NSI. You go to the NSI website, login, and set the IP address for

http://www.abc.com

to the location of the web server (your IP). You may ahve to pick the DNS servers, I would make sure to use their nameservers.

This is the best way to go, you DON'T want to host a public DNS server behind your firewall (your router). You would do this for each website. Now you have to remember to configure the CNAME if you are using the same server for multiple

http://WWW domains,

so they go to the correct page.

You can configure DNS to work on your lan, and you can use forwarders or just let it update. Remeber though, that the public address of the webserver and the private address are sometime different.

 

[WINDOWSGUY]

VinceF:
Thanks for all your help! Tell me do i have to worry about domain forwarding - when I purchase my domain names for each of my web sites? Since my web server is on my owm lan with a firewall(router)?

 

[WINDOWSGUY]

HI:
ANOTHER QUESTION - I was advised to place my DNS server in a DMZ zone, you see I have a LAN already with a router in front of my LAN - so physical where is the DMZ zone?
On MY LAN I have couple of workstations - a web server(windows 2000 server) - printer. In my DMZ zone - I would physically place a server in front of my router? How would it be set up? Would I have to have 2 ip addresses? one for my DNS server another for my LAN? Would I need 2 high speed
lines one for my DNS server another for my LAN? please advise?

 

[VinceF]

You probably don't have to worry about domain forwarding...you only need that if the domain address resolves to a location other than the server you want it to. This has nothing really to do with DNS hosting.

The term DMS comes from Korea and the Demiltiterized Zone (DMZ). Basically anything in the DMS is public and disposable. Another benefit is that it takes the attention away from the computers on your lan.

If you are going to do your own DNS, then yes, put it outside of your lan, infront of the firewall. Generally I would say yes, you need another address. You could run it from a router, then place another router/firewall in between it and your lan.If you have cable, chances are you can upgrade and get more than 1 address. Don't know about DSL. If it is frame, then I know you can get another address.

Depending on what size connection your have now, you may not need another high speed connection. If you have less than a full T-1, then yes, I would upgrade that to at least T-1...3 T-1s would be better.

If you host your own DNS, the server is going to get hammered. I suggest buiilding a Linux DNS server. Once its completed and configured, image it. If the server gets corrupt, just apply the image to it and your back in business.

 

[WINDOWSGUY]

hello again!
If I host my own "dns" server - then when I purchase a domain name - from my supplier - do I still need port forwarding for each domain name I purchase? Is that the advantage of setting up your own "DNS" server? My supplier charges me 29.95$(canadaian) per year for domain registration and a further 4.95/month(canadian) for port forwarding? If i set up my own "DNS" server I bypass the 4.95 /month -right?

TED

 

[lgarner]

Yes. When you register a domain, you are asked for the IP addresses of your DNS servers. You used to need two different addresses, but that requirement may be gone with the rise of consumer domain registrations.

When someone tries to get to "

http://www.you.com"

or "mail.you.com", the request will be sent to your server at the IP address(es) that you provided to the registrar. The registrar itself isn't even directly involved any more. You will configure your DNS server to answer the queries for "

http://www.you.com"

with the actual IP address of that server.

You could host DNS for as many domains as you have registered, and thousands of servers if you were so inclined. Just remember that if your DNS servers are unavailable to the public, so are all of your services.

 

[WINDOWSGUY]

if I set up my dns server in a DMZ zone outside my lan, should it be a recursive or non-recursive server? what is the advantage of doing one or the other? is there a choice I have to make?