Topic: DNS Requirements

[Spawn]

I have a registered domain name from internic.  What do I have to do in order for the e-smith server installation to host this name.  Does this server act as a true DNS?  Do I have to get my ISP to do anything special?  I have a cable modem and I am currently on a business plan (5 IPs).  Can I set e-smith so certain computers still go through the server (use it as a firewall) but don't grab IPs from it (they have their own IPs from my ISP).

Thanks in advance to anyone who responds to this.

[Colin Mattoon]

I'm not sure, but I think the e-smith box is only going to masquerade the other machine's IP's as it's own IP on the Internet.

But unless the outside world really needs to reach these other machines, that shouldn't be a problem. Letting outsiders access your Windows machines sort of defeats the purpose of E-smith.

[Carl Milloshewski]

Spawn wrote:

> I have a registered domain name from internic.  What do I have
> to do in order for the e-smith server installation to host this
> name.  Does this server act as a true DNS?  Do I have to get my
> ISP to do anything special?
Yes, your ISP needs to provide you with DNS services.  The E-smith box will provide caching DNS services only.  Get your ISP's DNS information from there support or web site and fill in the appropriate changes at http://www.networksolutions.com for your domain name.  Pick an IP address and tell your ISP that you want your mail, web, and FTP sites pointed to that address.  For example if your e-smith box is 123.123.123.123 tell your ISP to point www.yourdomain.com, ftp.yourdomain.com, mail.yourdomain.com to that address.  Your external interface should be configured to that address.
>  Can I set e-smith so
> certain computers still go through the server (use it as a
> firewall) but don't grab IPs from it (they have their own IPs
> from my ISP).
No, not unless you make some modifications to the ipchains setup.

[Spawn]

Now if I set up virtual domains, do I have to have my ISP set those up as well to point to the same IP address?
How difficult is it to set up this server to act as it's own DNS (ie. so I don't have to use any services from my ISP... reason being is they will probably charge me monthly for each domain I setup).