Help with DNS settings

[Guest]

I'm trying to setup my first Windows domain-based network and need help with DNS
I have a cable modem connected to my router for internet access and email - no web sites are hosted
The more I read about setting up DNS, the more confused I become. I'm hoping some kind soul will tak
pity on me and 'fill in the blanks' below for the Default Gateway and Preferred DNS and Secondary DNS IP settings.
Any insight into this mysterious subject is gratefully accepted as well
Here are the details of the network - I hope I'm not leaving out anything
Router
IP = 10.0.0.
DNS = Dynamic from IS

DC1 (Win2k + DNS server
IP = 10.0.0.20
DG =
Pref DNS =
Sec DNS =

DC2 (Win2k + DNS server
IP = 10.0.0.20
DG =
Pref DNS =
Sec DNS =

Clients (W2k Pro, XP Pro
IP = 10.0.0.xx
Mask = 255.255.255.
DG =
Pref DNS =
Sec DNS =

Many thanks
d

 

[Jeff Cochran]

I'm trying to setup my first Windows domain-based network and need help with DNS.
I have a cable modem connected to my router for internet access and email - no web sites are hosted.
The more I read about setting up DNS, the more confused I become. I'm hoping some kind soul will take
pity on me and 'fill in the blanks' below for the Default Gateway and Preferred DNS and Secondary DNS IP settings.
Any insight into this mysterious subject is gratefully accepted as well.
Here are the details of the network - I hope I'm not leaving out anything.
Router:
IP = 10.0.0.1
DNS = Dynamic from ISP

DC1 (Win2k + DNS server)
IP = 10.0.0.200
DG = ?
Pref DNS = ?
Sec DNS = ?

DC2 (Win2k + DNS server)
IP = 10.0.0.204
DG = ?
Pref DNS = ?
Sec DNS = ?

Clients (W2k Pro, XP Pro)
IP = 10.0.0.xxx
Mask = 255.255.255.0
DG = ?
Pref DNS = ?
Sec DNS = ?

On all of these, your router's internal IP is your DG, your DC1 is
your primary and DC2 is your secondary. Your DNS on these should be
set to forward unresolved requests to your ISP's DNS on the forwarders
tab for your internal zone/domain. You also should look at setting
your client's configs via DHCP.

Jeff

 

[Shane Brasher]

Hello All,


Just a very basic setup. Name resolution, in general, should resolve
locally first and anything that can not be resolved locally is forwarded to
the ISP.


Active Directory with DNS on the same server.

TCP/IP settings

1.)Right click "My network places" and select properties.
2.)For the LAN connection right click and select properties.
3.)On the properties page double click TCP/IP
4.)At the bottom of the protocols page select Preferred DNS Server option
and enter the IP address for the server itself.
5.)Click the advanced button. In the advanced setting make sure the
"Register this connection's address in DNS" selection is checked at the
bottom of the display.

DNS settings

1.)Open up the DNS console.
2.)Once opened, right click on the server in the right hand pane and select
properties.
3.)Once the properties page is up, select the "Forwarders" tab.
4.)Check the "Enable forwarders" selection at the top.
5.)Add the IP address of the DNS in which to forward requests. If this is
the only DNS , add the IP address for the ISP's DNS. (note- In the TCP/IP
settings, we selected the choice for DNS to point to itself. If name
resolution cannot be resolved then a request is made to the forwarders. If
resolution cannot be made via the internal DNS and there are no forwarders
listed, then resolution will be made via the root hints.
6.)Click OK.
7.)Expand the "Forward Lookup Zones"
8.)If there is a folder with a dot "." listed then delete it. (note- This
indicates to the server that it is the root server, which means do not go
beyond this server for name resolution.)
9.)Right click the domain folder and select properties. Make sure that
"Allow dynamic updates is selected."

Close out the DNS console.

Open up a command prompt and type the following:

1.)At the prompt type ipconfig /flushdns and wait for the services to
flush.
2.)ipconfig /registerdns wait for the services to regiser.
3.)net stop netlogon
4.)net start netlogon

If you receive an error during this process go to control panel, admin.
tools, services. Make sure the DHCP client service is started, even if
they are not using DHCP they still need the service started. Once all of
this is done. Open the DNS console again. Expand the forward lookup zones,
then expand the domain folder. You should see the underscore folders below:

_msdcs
_sites
_tcp
_udp

Clients
********
Setup DHCP to pass out the local DNS server to the clients.




Shane Brasher
MCSE (2003,2000,NT),MCSA Security, N+, A+
Microsoft Platforms Support
Windows NT/2000 Networking

 

[Guest]

Thanks very much for the informative reply

As I began implementing these suggestions, I tried obtaining an I
from my ISP (RoadRunner) for their DNS server. Their tech perso
informed me they don't have a fixed IP for their DNS server and tha
I should set my router to use dynamic DNS (it does and is working)

This raises my first question: what IP do I use for the DNS Forwarding on DC1

Question two: What, if any, IP should I use for the Secondary DNS Server on DC1 and DC2

Again, many thanks for your reply; I actually feel I'm beginning to understand how DNS works

dj

 

[Shane Brasher]

Hello,

This raises my first question: what IP do I use for the DNS Forwarding on
DC1?--There is no way to specify your ISP ip address in the forwarders if
it randomly changes. In your case if you specify nothing, your DNS server
will use the forwarders. You could use 4.2.2.2 which is what a lot of other
people use.

Question two: What, if any, IP should I use for the Secondary DNS Server on
DC1 and DC2?--Use another internal DNS server for the secondary, leave it
blank if you don't have another DNS server. You should not use any outside
IP address for the secondary. Using an external IP address for the
secondary DNS setting in TCP\IP would not cause any concerning problems,
but a cleaner method of name resolution is to always point internal first
and forward the internal DNS to the outside.



Shane Brasher
MCSE (2003,2000,NT),MCSA Security, N+,A+
Microsoft Platforms Support
Windows NT/2000 Networking