A DNS Question, IP Connection config and forwarder

[Lei Hu]

Hi there,

We have a small network, which is connected to the Internet through an ADSL
modem/router. The router's IP is 192.168.0.1.

Question 1 (IP connection config):

When I'm adding DC and DNS role to our Win2k3 server (there's no other DC in
the network), the wizard lets me set a static IP (which I understand), I
configured as follows:
IP address: 192.168.0.6
Subnet masks: 255.255.255.0
Default gateway: 192.168.0.1
Preferred DNS server: 192.168.0.6
I don't know what I should put to the preferred DNS server. Initianlly, I
used the DNS server provided by our ADSL ISP (e.g., 202.154.83.53), but that
didn't seem to work properly, and I saw some errors in the event viewer.
Then I changed to the IP address of the Win2k3 server itself, which is
192.168.0.6, and it seems working fine. I'm wondering if this setting is
correct? If not, what should I put?

Question 2 (forwarders):

In the DSN properties' forwarders tab, I think I should add the ISP's DNS
server as forwarder. However, if I don't add anything in to the forwarder IP
address list, the domain name resolution still works fine. I used the
Network Monitor to investigate it and found it's using the IP addresses
listed in the Root Hints as forwarders. Could you please explain this to me?

Thanks a lot!!

 

[Danny Sanders]

I don't know what I should put to the preferred DNS server. Initianlly, I

used the DNS server provided by our ADSL ISP (e.g., 202.154.83.53), but that
didn't seem to work properly, and I saw some errors in the event viewer.
Then I changed to the IP address of the Win2k3 server itself, which is
192.168.0.6, and it seems working fine. I'm wondering if this setting is
correct? If not, what should I put?

You need to point the DNS server to itself. This will allow it to register
the SRV records all AD clients must find.

In the DSN properties' forwarders tab, I think I should add the ISP's DNS
server as forwarder. However, if I don't add anything in to the forwarder IP
address list, the domain name resolution still works fine. I used the
Network Monitor to investigate it and found it's using the IP addresses
listed in the Root Hints as forwarders. Could you please explain this to

me?



For Internet access you can use either forwarding or root hints.


hth
DDS W 2k MVP MCSE

 

[Lei Hu]

Hi Danny,

Thanks for your reply!!

So for question 1, Is my setting (to 192.168.0.6) THE correct solution, or
there's another solution which is better?
For question 2, which one is better? Just use Root Hints, or better to add
ISP's DNS as a forwarder?

Sorry for being stupid. Because once I set it up, I cannot never change it
later, I must get it right for the first time.

Thanks once again!!

 

[Danny Sanders]

So for question 1, Is my setting (to 192.168.0.6) THE correct solution, or

there's another solution which is better?

The fact is AD DCs MUST register SRV records in the same place your AD
clients are looking for them (they must use the same DNS server). There is
nothing that says that DNS server MUST be a Win 2k DC. You an have a BIND
DNS server that you use for the AD domain. The AD DC MUST point to the BIND
server along with all AD clients.

In your set up your DC is the DNS server, your DC MUST point to the DNS
server for your AD domain. In your case it just happens to be itself. Your
AD clients MUST point to the location where your AD DCs have their SRV
records registered. In your case, your DC.
In your set up this is correct and this is the ONLY solution.

For question 2, which one is better? Just use Root Hints, or better to add
ISP's DNS as a forwarder?

In most cases it's 6 of one and a half dozen of the other. If your ISP's DNS
servers are up and down on a regular basis it would be to your advantage to
use root hints. AFAIK using either way is not going to back you into a
corner where you can't switch. I would test each for a week or two and see
if there is a performance difference.

hth
DDS W 2k MVP MCSE

 

[Lei Hu]

Danny, many thinks!!

So for question 1, Is my setting (to 192.168.0.6) THE correct solution, or

The fact is AD DCs MUST register SRV records in the same place your AD
clients are looking for them (they must use the same DNS server). There is
nothing that says that DNS server MUST be a Win 2k DC. You an have a BIND
DNS server that you use for the AD domain. The AD DC MUST point to the
BIND
server along with all AD clients.

In your set up your DC is the DNS server, your DC MUST point to the DNS
server for your AD domain. In your case it just happens to be itself. Your
AD clients MUST point to the location where your AD DCs have their SRV
records registered. In your case, your DC.
In your set up this is correct and this is the ONLY solution.



In most cases it's 6 of one and a half dozen of the other. If your ISP's
DNS
servers are up and down on a regular basis it would be to your advantage
to
use root hints. AFAIK using either way is not going to back you into a
corner where you can't switch. I would test each for a week or two and see
if there is a performance difference.

hth
DDS W 2k MVP MCSE