DNS question

  • Thread starter Thread starter deko
  • Start date Start date
D

deko

If I right click on the My Network Places icon on my Desktop, and select the
NIC that is used for connecting to my DSL router, and then right click on
that selection and select to Properties, then select Internet Protocol, and
click Properties, there is an area ("Use the following DNS server
addresses") that allows me to specify an IP address of a DNS server.

Can I leave this blank if my DSL router handles DNS lookups? Which takes
precedence - what I enter here or what is configured in eh DSL router?
 
I think you might be thinking of the process in a few wrong terms.

You have a DSL MODEM.
It is plugged into the WAN port of the ROUTER.
Your machine, and maybe others are plugged into the LAN ports of the router.

DHCP is the process of automatically supplying an IP address.

Your DSL ISP is furnishing DHCP for your internet connection, each time you
connect.
This is the WAN port. It has nothing to do with what you were looking at.

Your LAN router can use DHCP, or it can let each NIC choose a Static IP.
(usually in the 196.168.?.?, or 10.0.?.? range, ... subrange 255.255.255.0)
This is the setting you are looking at.
The NIC properties, tcp/ip properties, can choose 'dynamic IP" (DHCP)
or can choose an IP in the mentioned set ranges (Static IP).
Your router will see what choice you setup.

Your Default Gateway (the router) will have an IP address something like
196.168.0.1
If you want to see your current DHCP setting, open a CMD prompt, and type
IPCONFIG
 
Hi and thanks for the reply.
You have a DSL MODEM.
It is plugged into the WAN port of the ROUTER.
Your machine, and maybe others are plugged into the LAN ports of the router.

10-4

DHCP is the process of automatically supplying an IP address.
Understood.

Your DSL ISP is furnishing DHCP for your internet connection, each time you
connect.
Click to expand...

Yes, and also the IP for the DNS server - this is supplied by my ISP and is
dynamic. That is, sometimes it's one IP and othertimes it's another IP. I
do not always get the same DNS IP when I reboot the router, and my ISP may
be changing it when my DHCP lease expires, as well. And here is the
problem - what I assign to my workstation is static; what the DSL router
(not to be confused with the DSL modem) receives via DHCP is dynamic, which
means there is a chance I could have one DNS IP on the workstation and a
different DNS IP on the router.

The problem is I am suddenly noticing delays when going to web sites and I
think it has something to do with DNS lookups (I have check for spyware and
viruses). So I'm thinking that I should remove the DNS IP from my
workstation. But I'm not sure how MS's implementation of DNS works on XP,
or how to optimize it.
Your LAN router can use DHCP, or it can let each NIC choose a Static IP.
(usually in the 196.168.?.?, or 10.0.?.? range, ... subrange 255.255.255.0)
This is the setting you are looking at.
Click to expand...

The router uses DHCP to get a public IP and NATs it down to a private
address space
The NIC properties, tcp/ip properties, can choose 'dynamic IP" (DHCP)
or can choose an IP in the mentioned set ranges (Static IP).
Your router will see what choice you setup.
Click to expand...

I use static IPs on the local network
 
You are making this more confusing than it is. I have the same setup. If you
have a DSL Router that has NAT then the router has all the settings on it for
DHCP and DNS. You should have the workstation settings to obtain ip address
auto and obtain dns server address auto. Let the router do all the work.

LUCK2U
 
The problem is I am suddenly noticing delays when going to web sites and I
think it has something to do with DNS lookups (I have check for spyware and
viruses). So I'm thinking that I should remove the DNS IP from my
workstation. But I'm not sure how MS's implementation of DNS works on XP,
or how to optimize it.
Click to expand...

You start messing with those DNS number on your workstation and you'll have
even more problems then you have now. You'd be far better off to contact
your ISP (DSL provider) for a reason why there are delays. Have you cleared
your temporary internet files and cookies lately? Checked for spyware and
adware?
 
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