Web Hosting Talk : Web Hosting Main Forums : Hosting Security and Technology : Registering DNS server

[nox]

Any suggestions please?

I'm setting up my own DNS name servers for the first time (I had assistance last time, no longer available)

The domain I intend to use is with enom.com who give you control over certain DNS issues but I'm not clear on what the specific action for "registering" the ns1, ns2.mydomain.com as a "nameserver" is?

I have looked through a bit of stuff online, but my specific questions aren't answered.

1. Does it matter what name servers the name servers are on? (sheeesh!)

2. Do I still have to register the Domain Name Server as that, with Network Solutions, eventhough it's in the enom.com registry?

3. Is it just a matter of creating CNAME's (ns1,ns2) for the domain.com and giving them their respective IP addresses?

These are probably easy, common actions but I'm a bit confused and don't want to do what I think and then spend days cleaning it up if it's wrong.

Would be eternally grateful for any guidance.

I've sent email requests to all concerned for info but it seems that you get left on your own with DNS issues.

This is aimed at anyone outside the US (like me) who is not in 'Thanksgiving' mode. BTW, 'happy thanksgiving' to all US peoples from Down Under.

Thanks...

[inwks]

1) You can name them however you like, ns(x) is the standard, or dns(x). But you could call them woof., meow., etc.

2) Yes. Actually, NSI (or your registrar), only needs the IP address to add to the root-servers.net domain, but the FQDN of the machine is nice to have so they can list it properly. Therefore, they insist on having it.

3) You would normally use A records to point to IP addresses, but if your ns1, ns2 etc are just aliases for server1, server2, etc then you can use CNAME's. But yes, you do need a DNS entry for the names you give to NSI (or your registrar).

[nox]

inwks,

Thanks for that! I can deal with 2 & 3, but what I meant in 1, was not about the actual name, eg ns2, woof, harold etc, but more this;

If you register a domain it requires name servers, OK. So does it matter what nameservers this particular domain is on?

Like newdomain.com with IP addr 123.123.123.123 uses nameservers ns.otherdomain.com and ns2.otherdomain.com

Now, if newdomain.com was required to be used for nameservers in the form ns.newdomain.com, ns2.newdomain.com, OK? does it matter if it remains on ns/ns2.otherdomain.com?

2 out of 3 ain't bad...Thanks again

[inwks]

Err.... I think I know what you are asking.

For example, if I own the domain abc.com, it can reside on ns1.xyz.com, ns2.xyz.com etc. Basically, ns1.xyz.com has the "Start of Authority (SOA)" for the abc.com domain, and can therefore resolve queries from http://www.abc.com to the physical IP address of the box.

If doesn't matter that name server you specify, as long as:

1) You're registratar is told which DNS has the SOA of the domain.
2) The people running the name server know that they are supposed to have your domain list in it.

If you were to go to a hosting company, your domain usually gets listed in the name server, and you enter ns1.myhostingcompany.com as the name server at your registrar. Alternatively, you can run your own name servers, and resolve your own domain and others if so desired.

One final example, my t595.net SOA resides at ns1.mydomain.com - ns4.mydomain.com, which means that mydomain.com owns the task of resolving queries to my t595.net domain.

err... just re-read your question, misinterpreted. It is best to have your domain removed from the old name server when you move, mainly in the interest of cleanliness (and because some hosting companies set up their DNS incorrectly). In theory, only the name server with the SOA as specified by your registrar will be queried for your domain. However, some hosts use the name servers as both caching and resolution servers. This means that their name servers still think they own the SOA, and will resolve queries. However, queries will not normally reach them, but because they are running the name server as a caching server for the local network, it get resolved incorrectly. The biggest bugbear for this is when signing up to a new host, and they try to send a confirmation email - the email will go to your new email server at the new host, instead of going to your current server, so you never get your email with details on the new account.

[nox]

There's good helpful info here, but I'll try to put it another way,

1. I just bought a server

2. I want to run a Domain Name Server on it

3. I registered a domain with enom and haven't committed it to any nameservers yet. Not even theirs.

4. I want to use this domain as the ns.xxx.com and ns2.xxx.com for the Domain Name Server (and the SOA for other domains.)

5. what name servers should I put the new domain on?

(Are you saying that it can resolve itself? ie http://www.newdomain.com sits on ns.newdomain.com & ns2.newdomain.com?)

Does it really matter where the SOA for a domain name that is used to provide SOA for other domains, resides?

Am I thick or what?

Thanks for your time matey.

[inwks]

The short answer to your brackets is YES.

Simple example: Look at http://www.networksolutions.com/cgi-...G=mydomain.com

Their domain and site (www.mydomain.com) resolves on ns1.mydomain.com

The name of the name server is not that important, it is mainly there for completeness. It's the IP address that is the important part.

Steps would be:

1) Get your zone records set up your DNS for your new domain. Remember to add either an A record or CNAME for ns1, ns2, etc (have to be to two different IP addresses, preferable two physical boxes on two different subnets).
2) Inform the registrar of the new ns1 (etc) name servers, with IP addresses.
3) Wait 48 hours for it to propogate
4) Test by dialling into an independant ISP of where your name servers and check you can pick one of your machines by name (indicating that it is resolving correctly).