Simple DNS For Private LAN

[Drew Tomlinson]

On 6/23/2006 8:54 AM Giorgos Keramidas wrote:
> On 2006-06-23 08:21, Drew Tomlinson <drew at mykitchentable.net> wrote:
>   
>> I'm having a hard time understanding what I need to do.  I have
>> a small home network that uses a 3Com DSL modem/router as the
>> last hop to the Internet.  Currently, the DSL modem/router to
>> provides DNS for both my home network and the Internet.
>> Basically I have a few static entries for machines on my home
>> network and then the DSL modem/router queries my ISPs name
>> servers for everything else.
>>
>> When I registered my domain, I used ZoneEdit as my name
>> servers.  'whois mykitchentable.net' gives this output:
>>
>> domain:         mykitchentable.net
>> owner-name:     Drew Tomlinson
>> nserver:        ns3.zoneedit.com 209.61.140.1
>> nserver:        ns4.zoneedit.com 216.98.150.236
>>     
>
> Are machines from your `internal' network visible outside?  If
> not, you can set up a locally-visible fake domain, i.e. `*.drew',
> and run a local caching name server.  This name server can be a
> master for the ``drew.'' zone (``zones'' is what BIND calls parts
> of the Domain Name System) and, at the same time, a slave for the
> ``mykitchentable.net'' zone.
>
>   
>> Now I'm changing ISPs and the DSL modem/router will be removed.
>> I am going to use a FBSD 6.x box to be my router, firewall, and
>> DNS server.  I read the handbook regarding DNS but remain
>> confused.
>>     
>
> The Handbook needs a bit of work around that area :-/
>
>   
>> Should I be a master for mykitchentable.net?
>>     
>
> Not necessarily.  You can leave the name-servers of zoneedit as
> masters.
>
>   
>> I'm thinking not because ZoneEdit is the master, correct?
>>     
>
> Correct :-)
>
>   
>> So should I be a slave?
>>     
>
> This would be nice.
>
>   
>> And if I'm a slave, will my DNS get it's updates from ZoneEdit?
>>     
>
> This depends on whether ZoneEdit allows ``zone transfers'' from
> their master name servers to the one you will set up as a slave.
>
>   
>> Or should I become master for my zone and make ZoneEdit a
>> backup DNS?
>>     
>
> I'd probably leave ZoneEdit as the master, unless your DSL has a
> static IP address.  Even if you *do* have a static IP address,
> then it is still a good idea to leave ZoneEdit as the master, as
> long as they let you become a slave NS.
>
>   
>> I'm a complete newbie to DNS but know that it's important to
>> get it right or lots of stuff gets broken.  Can someone please
>> guide me in the right direction?  I don't mind reading if you
>> send me a link.  :)
>>     
>
> I think the next step should be to check if ZoneEdit allows you
> to become a slave NS for your zones.
>
> Then you need to decide if the systems you have behind the
> FreeBSD gateway will have publicly-visible addresses or use NAT.
>
> If you use NAT, then I can guide you through setting up a local
> ``master zone'' that is only visible inside your home network,
> and a ``slave zone'' that pulls stuff from ZoneEdit for the
> ``mykitchentable.net'' domain.  I already have a similar setup at
> home, to let my internal systems (workstation, laptop) see each
> other with internal names and still use my ISP's name servers for
> everything else.
>
> If you don't use NAT, things are going to be much easier, since
> you only have to set up the names at ZoneEdit and pull the master
> zone from there.
>   
Thank you for your reply.  I use NAT for my servers that are visible 
from the outside so I set ZoneEdit to return the same address for all  
servers at mykitchentable.net which is currently 67.137.238.101.  Thus 
www.mykitchentable.net, drew.mykitchentable.net, mykitchentable.net, and 
whatever else.all return 67.137.238.101.  Based up this, it seems that I 
should leave ZoneEdit alone and set up a local "master zone" visible 
only to my private LAN as you describe above.  Being a slave and pulling 
from ZoneEdit wouldn't have any benefit as the public address won't 
equal the private address.

So assuming I understand correctly, yes, please guide me in setting up a 
local master zone.

Thank you very much!!!

Drew

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