Domain Setup Question

[Guest]

I want to setup a SOHO network for learning purposes. My goal is to learn
more about network structure and administration.

This is what I have:

1. High-speed cable
2. Wireless router
3. Windows 2003 server
4. 4 client laptops
5. Registered domain name = allfurpetgrooming.com

Here is what my plan is:

Use the server for AD, DNS, and DHCP.
Use the router for my gateway/firewall

When I setup the server I am going to follow these steps:

1. Load OS
2. Configure TCP/IP settings on server
a. ip address = 10.1.6.50
b. subnet = 255.255.0.0
c. dns address = 10.1.6.50
3. Run dcpromo
a. Full DNS name = office.allfurpetgrooming.com
b. Netbios = office
c. Choose to have wizard install DNS
d. Check and made sure forward lookup zone contained
office.allfurpetgrooming.com
e. Check and made sure 4 SRV record folders are there
4. Install DHCP
a. Scope 10.1.3.100 to 10.1.3.200
b. Subnet = 255.255.0.0
c. Parent DNS = office.allforpetgrooming.com



Questions:

1. Does my server and router use make sense?
2. If my registered domain name is allfurpetgrooming.com is it practical to
name my domain office.allfurpetgrooming.com?
3. My server will be the authoritative DNS server for my domain
(office.allfurpetgrooming.com) and I will use DNS forwarders to point to my
ISP DNS server for unresolved addresses?
4. will the gateway be the internal address of the wireless router?
5. What am I missing?

 

[Rube]

2 CENTS.

#2 & 3. Unless you know what you are doing with DNS, you might want to name
your internal domain "allfurpetgrooming.local." Actually using a dot.com
name for an internal domain requires extra care and often causes stumbling
blocks for new admins.(Basically, since your internal network is looking to
your internal DNS server, any outside resources with that domain name will
be expected to also be local. They will have to be manually pointed to
outside IP's.) If its just for play then go ahead, but it sounds like your
"learning purposes" setup might be for a business.

If you "need" to name your internal domain using a public tld, then beware
of the following: You will NOT be the authoritive server, nor would you
really want to. You would need 2 DNS servers with static IP's. Your internal
server will be a simple AD integrated DNS server. Set it up to use
forwarders (the IP's of your ISP's DNS servers and disable recursion.) The
server would have a forward lookup zone of allfurpetgrooming.com. This zone
should have manually created A records for any external resources: mail
server, web server. It will automatically create SOA, NS & WINS records.
Allow the zone to use dynamic updates to make things easier and make sure to
turn on scavenging.

In the TCP/IP properties of your DNS server's NIC, make sure it uses its own
IP address for its DNS server.

When done, you should at least see (in your allfurpetgrooming.com forward
lookup zone)

Name Type Data
office A 10.1.6.50
(same as parent folder) A 10.1.6.50
(same as parent folder) SOA office.allfurpetgrooming.com
(same as parent folder) NS office.allfurpetgrooming.com

Any clients who dynamically register with DNS will also have A records.

#4 Yes

GL!