Re: [cobalt-users] HELP: DNS on the RaQ3

[Jeff Lasman <jblists@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

main@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx wrote:

> >From there, we are a bit confused as to how the rest of the settings
> should go.
> 
> Control Panel: Network: General Settings >> what should be in the
> Primary DNS Server Address
> Control Panel: Network: General Settings >> what should be in the
> Secondary DNS Server Address

These settings don't necessarily have anything to do with your own RaQ's
nameservers at all.

These are the nameservers the RaQ will use to find other systems.

If you've got a Windows computer you're familiar with, then the analogy
is to think of these settings the same way you think of the DNS settings
in dial-up networking.

Personally, I'd always use offsite nameservers here.  Otherwise, if your
nameserver stops working, everything else in your Raq that depends on IP
address resolution stops working as well.

For example:  You've set up an elaborate checking mechanism that checks
every part of your RaQ to make sure it's working, and sends an email to
your text-message pager if anything stops working.

The nameserver stops working.  Your RaQ can't send the email to let you
know, because it's depenedent on the nameserver.

> Are there any other settings we need to change/add in order to make dns
> work on this server

Yes.  The first step is under Control Panel.  You need to check "Domain
Name Service Server" and click on "Save Changes", if it's not already
checked.

And of course you need to understand DNS well enough to set up your
server.  This is no trivial task, and I highly recommend either
carefully studying the book "DSN and Bind" until you realize why you
need more than one name-server acting as both primary and secondary.  Or
else, hiring a professional <wry grin>.

As I've said over and over again, DNS is NOT trivial, and it's the most
important part of your system.  Don't leave it to amateurs.

> FYI:  The IP address listed in Control Panel: Network: Interface
> Settings - Network 1
> is NOT the same as our IP for either the primary or secondary NS listed
> above.  Could this
> be a problem?  Should it match the Primary NS IP address?

No, and No.

> Any help will be greatly appreciated.

I hope I've been of some help.

Jeff
-- 
Jeff Lasman <jblists@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
nobaloney.net
P. O. Box 52672
Riverside, CA  92517
voice: (909) 787-8589  *  fax: (909) 782-0205