Topic: What DNS servers are used by SME Server?

[gzartman]

That's where my problem is - this is not how it is happening. The SME server gets its requests from a *different* place than the ISP.
-- JJ

No it doesn't.  There are other issues going on there that have nothing to do with SME.

[gzartman]

Yes, the issues I find, when doing an NSLOOKUP is that the lookup times out.

If you are querying SME's DNS and your lookup is timing out, then this is yet another indication that you have some issues going on with your configuration/internet connection, or network configuration.   

Yes it has its own DNS - just like any workstation has its own cache - but the issue is where it places itself in the world-wide hierarchy of DNS servers. I think it may be too high up the tree for its own good at times.

A workstation is just caching results it queries from DNS you tell it to use.  SME, on the other hand, is a DNS server and knows how to use the public Domain Name database that is spread over millions of Domain Name Servers all over the world.

SME's DNS, as it is configured by the default install, IS NOT a public DNS so it has no place in the "world-wide hierarchy" of Name Servers.

From what I remember looking at the config files of SME Server, it already has multiple DNS servers that it uses - about a dozen of them (though about half of those were out-of-date when I last looked). So, it already happens and is already used by everybody.

Those are the ROOT name servers.  Every DNS uses this exact same list.  This list rarely changes.   This is where the name query begins -- that is a DNS asks one of these ROOT name servers first where to find the IP address for the domain is it quering.  These ROOT name servers then send the quering DNS to another name server(s) for more information and so on and so on and so on until the domain you are querying is found.

[judgej]

Those are not DNS resolvers (which are the "DNS servers" used by client systems such as workstations). Those are just hints of where to start looking for the addresses of the root name servers.

That pure BS, but if you believe it to be true, you should report details via the bug tracker.

It it's pure BS, what is the list of IP addresses in /etc/e-smith/templates/var/service/dnscache.forwarder/root/servers/@? They look like top-level DNS IP addresses to me. *Last time* I looked it was out of date. *Right now* it's not.

[judgej]

If you are querying SME's DNS and your lookup is timing out, then this is yet another indication that you have some issues going on with your configuration/internet connection, or network configuration.

 

No. My Internet connections are fine.

SME's DNS, as it is configured by the default install, IS NOT a public DNS so it has no place in the "world-wide hierarchy" of Name Servers.

Between my PC and the top-level domain servers, is my SME server. How it that not part of the chain between my PC and the top-level domain servers?

Those are the ROOT name servers.  Every DNS uses this exact same list.  This list rarely changes.   This is where the name query begins -- that is a DNS asks one of these ROOT name servers first where to find the IP address for the domain is it quering.  These ROOT name servers then send the quering DNS to another name server(s) for more information and so on and so on and so on until the domain you are querying is found.

That's all well and good, but still does not solve the problem that certain changes to some domains take a long time (days) to get to the SME Server, when three ISPs I checked get the new details from *somewhere* much quicker.

[gzartman]

Between my PC and the top-level domain servers, is my SME server. How it that not part of the chain between my PC and the top-level domain servers?

No it isn't unless you've modified your SME Server to be a Public DNS.  Your SME Server is just reading the DNS database.

Your PC does not know how to read the internet DNS database, so it is asking your SME Server to query this database and report the results.  This does not mean your SME Server is part of that database, IT IS NOT.

If you feel there is a problem with SME Server's DNS, then report it to the bug tracker. 

Beyond this, you seem to be more interested in arguing a point that you clearly have no knowledge in than listening to the free advise of people who do. 

This is really going nowhere.

[ejay69]

No it isn't unless you've modified your SME Server to be a Public DNS.  Your SME Server is just reading the DNS database.

I have my SME server in a virtualBox while tinkering with it and I am bothered by this statement because I am planning to deploy it in the Internet later on. I have several domains/subdomains configured via server manager. Ex. up.pem.tld, au.pem.tld, coc.pem.tld does this mean that these domains/subdomains will not be visible in the internet and would only be visible within my local network?

[CharlieBrady]

I have my SME server in a virtualBox while tinkering with it and I am bothered by this statement because I am planning to deploy it in the Internet later on. I have several domains/subdomains configured via server manager. Ex. up.pem.tld, au.pem.tld, coc.pem.tld does this mean that these domains/subdomains will not be visible in the internet and would only be visible within my local network?

Correct. Is that not what the documentation states?

[mercyh]

If you want these domains visible on the WWW you need to setup DNS A records that point to your server.

[CharlieBrady]

If you want these domains visible on the WWW you need to setup DNS A records that point to your server.

You need to do more than that. You need to register the domain with a domain registrar, and configure more than one Internet visible DNS server. I'm sure that the documentation covers the process.

[mercyh]

I'm sure that the documentation covers the process.

Some of it is covered here: http://wiki.contribs.org/SME_Server:Documentation:Administration_Manual:Appendix#Appendix_B._DNS

I'm sure google can answer any other questions.

[ejay69]

You need to do more than that. You need to register the domain with a domain registrar, and configure more than one Internet visible DNS server. I'm sure that the documentation covers the process.

It is not that I did'nt read the manual but that i have no experience when it comes to djbdns. Yes my top domain (pem.tld) is registred to a domain registrar.

If you want these domains visible on the WWW you need to setup DNS A records that point to your server.

Can't I do this setup of DNS A records in my SME server? Do I have to install another box just to house my BIND DNS Server? I am totally lost!

[janet]

ejay69

You can setup your registered domains DNS record at a good free service like zoneedit.com
You will need to get your current registrar to transfer the nameserver delegation to the nameservers that zoneedit use.

Your current registrar can also (usually) do this for you, but they charge a fee.

[gzartman]

Can't I do this setup of DNS A records in my SME server? Do I have to install another box just to house my BIND DNS Server? I am totally lost!

Yes, all you can do all of this with the public DNS service you have.  You do not need to setup another DNS server.

I am not familiar with the web interface for the service you are using, but I'm sure it is similar to the public DNS service I use (easydns.com)

At a minimum, setup an A record to your domain:

 A Record 1:  domain.xxx = ip address

You can then setup C names, or alias, to your primary A record.  For example:

 - "www" points to A Record 1;
 - "ftp"    points to A Record 1;
 - "*"      points to A Record 1;  (wildcard)

You can also setup Mx record to point to your mail server.

[ejay69]

Root_DNS
 |     Registrar (pem.edu.ph)
 |    /   DNS Server
 |   /   /            Other_DNS
 |  |   /            /
 Internet---Other_DSL---Remote_Users
     |
   DSL---Your_DSL_DNS
     |
    SME --Static IP
     |
 Local_User and Remote_Users

This is my scenario. pem.edu.ph is registered to domain registrar here in the philippines that handles edu.ph domains. In my SME I created 4 subdomains up.pem.edu.ph, au.pem.edu.ph, coc.pem.edu.ph, ui.pem.edu.ph in my SME this four subdomains point to the same static IP address. My question is that will this 4 subdomains be viewable outside of my local network, would it be viewable in the internet. Because each subdomain will be remotely accessed (mail,web,ftp) Thanks

[David Harper]

You have two options:

1. You can make your SME DNS server publically accessible, and then configure your domain at the registrar to use the SME Server as your DNS server. This way when clients ask for the DNS records for pem.edu.ph, they will be using your SME Server as the root for lookups.

2. You can use your registrar to create the same records again, but point all A records to your Static IP. Then when the request hits the SME Server, it will redirect the client to the appropriate ibay and/or server.

I recommend (2) because your registrar probably has a failover in case their primary DNS server goes down.