Dns Server

R

ring.of.steel

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I would like to setup a dns server as my isp's dns is slow quite often and unreliable plus i would like to face the challenge of setting one up myself. I dont really know much about dns and the only dns server i have setup in the past was a dns cache.

i would like to setup a dns server that does not rely on any other ones and will be capable of resolving any public domain name. i dont really know what i should be searching for on google becuase i dont know the tech name for this kind of dns.

is there any guides that you guys can point me towards or any tips or anything?

cheers
 
just read that before you gave me the link. would this be a dns server that does not rely on any kind of other public one?

thanks
 
how do you think that would work?

If Telewest put up a new website then their DNS server willtalk with yours to give it the IP and name otherwise how would your DNS server know about the new site. All DNS server need each other.
 
You would need one large storage unit to be able to handle the database of names so that you only needed YOUR DNS server. Not to mention that it would have to be updated about once a second to stay on top of all the new information.
 
what i meen is: say i wanted to visit hardforum so i type in www.hardforum.com. would my dns server have to forward the request to the telewest dns server or the hardforum dns server?
 
Depends on the cache because once your DNS server is already aware of a certain domain, it follows the same route. I believe, and please someone correct me if I am wrong, but you can preset domains that you normally visit that way making a speedier lookup.
 
ok, so say i have just cleared the dns cache. it is empty and it contains no dns records.

now i type in www.hardforum.com

would my dns server need to get the information from the telewest dns server? or the server over at hardforum?
 
Yes I believe it would. There is a place called http://www.opendns.com that you can set up and it claims to be faster than normal ISP DNS servers, although I never noticed a difference.
 
ahh i get it

if my dns server cannot process a request it forwards it onto opendns?

so there is no way i can setup my server to resolve the domain names by itself?
 
No for that to happen you would need to be able to have a record of every domain name ever that you could possibly ever want to get to. It would basically be like having all of the internets in your house.

One thing that I would recommend though is what that link posted before was trying to do. That way you can already have the domains that you visit on a regular basis resolved on your computer.
 
No for that to happen you would need to be able to have a record of every domain name ever that you could possibly ever want to get to. It would basically be like having all of the internets in your house.
 
cheers for all the feedback, i still dont understand how the isp's manage to have this huge database of queries.

so every time a query is processed my dns server will cache it? slowly building a database?

cheers
 
right i can understand it better now. can i use a root dns server for a forwarder instead of my isp?
 
I'd use opendns as your forwarder if you want to bypass your ISPs DNS servers. You'll just need to setup your forwarders to 208.67.222.222 and 208.67.220.220 on your DNS server.
 
cheers iv just punched it all into win 2k3

it seems to be working fine
 
So right now your DNS query runs like this...

Your Machine ---> Your Server ---> Open DNS ---> ????

Why couldn't you have just done
Your Machine ---> Open DNS ---> ????

I really don't see the need for a server. I assume you have a router of some sort, just point the DNS servers it is using to Open DNS. It effectively accomplishes the same thing (as far as what you are needing).
 
he wants his server to cache to DNS

so it goes

His machine --- his server DNS ---->

if his DNS is not fully upto date

His machine --- his server DNS --- openDSN --->

his DNS will then update it self. I don't really think its a very good idea for home use to be honest. Probably more work than its worth.
 
I realize that, but OpenDNS servers (as far as I know) aren't any actual root servers.
They are are cache... What I am saying is that it is rather pointless...
 
zacdl said:
They are are cache... What I am saying is that it is rather pointless...
Click to expand...

Not quite. OpenDNS has a lot of other features, plus their servers a generally really fast. I use it as a free content filter at most of my clients.
 
well i needed to setup a new dns server anyway for active directory so i thought i may aswell do a caching server properly.
 
Morf.. I agree. I'm saying running your own DNS server at home is rather pointless when you have OpenDNS availible ;)
 
zacdl said:
Morf.. I agree. I'm saying running your own DNS server at home is rather pointless when you have OpenDNS availible ;)
Click to expand...

the main reason was for active directory where a dns server is needed. i thought i might aswell make the most of it.
 
ring.of.steel said:
the main reason was for active directory where a dns server is needed. i thought i might aswell make the most of it.
Click to expand...

And since you're using active directory at home...your workstations MUST use your DC as their DNS server.

So..it's a matter of setting up your own forwarders in your DNS properties on the DC.

If your ISP has crappy DNS servers....you do have alternatives like using OpenDNS. My current cable ISP in the town I just moved to..has slow DNS servers...so I have my SBS server doing forwarding to OpenDNS.

However..where I lived before...I used Comcast (I miss their speeds..wow do I miss PowerBoost)..and their DNS servers were great, if I used OpenDNS instead....my performance was 100% repeatably slower.

You can also use the root servers.

The theory or logic or using your ISPs DNS servers as your forwarders..are that your ISPs DNS servers are usually just 1x hop away, and would logically give you a faster response time..than say..using the relatively burdened root servers. If your local DNS server doesn't have the query caches...you want it to go out and ask the DNS server which gives the fastest reply.
 
YeOldeStonecat said:
And since you're using active directory at home...your workstations MUST use your DC as their DNS server.

So..it's a matter of setting up your own forwarders in your DNS properties on the DC.

If your ISP has crappy DNS servers....you do have alternatives like using OpenDNS. My current cable ISP in the town I just moved to..has slow DNS servers...so I have my SBS server doing forwarding to OpenDNS.

However..where I lived before...I used Comcast (I miss their speeds..wow do I miss PowerBoost)..and their DNS servers were great, if I used OpenDNS instead....my performance was 100% repeatably slower.

You can also use the root servers.

The theory or logic or using your ISPs DNS servers as your forwarders..are that your ISPs DNS servers are usually just 1x hop away, and would logically give you a faster response time..than say..using the relatively burdened root servers. If your local DNS server doesn't have the query caches...you want it to go out and ask the DNS server which gives the fastest reply.
Click to expand...

cheers, will windows 2003 automatically cache dns lookups? they dont seem to be appearing.
 
If you're not seeing the cache, make sure you choose Advanced under the View drop down in the DNS MMC.
 
how do i setup windows 2003 dns so say if i type hf it redirects me to hardforum?
 
add your own DNS entry.

I think you should get a book or read some DNS stuff on the Microsoft website.

If your using OpenDNS then you can also do it via their control panel
 
Just create an A record.
You should have something like DOMAIN.local. Create A record to point to the forum's IP.
I just don't know if you can point it to another FQDN (I know OpenDNS can do this).
 
thanks, im having a read on a ebook about 2003 server dns now :p
 
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