Web Hosting Talk : Web Hosting Main Forums : Dedicated Server : Can any DNS expert perhaps help pls?

[Frankc22]

Hello guys

I want to setup something rather different from most servers and hope one of the dns experts can perhaps help.

What I want to do is to somehow setup a "PERMANENT" Ip address for my nameservers.

What I meant by "permanent" is an IP address that will not change when moving between servers.

Explanation

Our registrar require both 2 nameservers AND their ip addresses and every time that we move to another host we need to update that IP addresses. (Use the same nameservers)

ns1.nameserver.com ip 111.111.111.111
must change to
ns1.nameserver.com ip 222.222.222.222

Potential solution

Signup for a dynamic IP address for nameserver.com with Ip address 333.333.333.333

This Ip 333.333.333.333 can now act as permanent Ip address for my nameservers and point to my server IP address. It can be either 111.111.111.111, 222.222.222.22 or changed to whatever.

The nameserver records at the registrar will look like.

ns1.nameserver.com ip 333.333.333.333

My actual server and nameserver IP's can however be any IP address since the dynamic Ip 333.333.333.333 will automatic resolve to / follow such changed ip addresses.

For me it make sense but whether it would be possible and the how-to is a bit above my experience.

Thanks in advance

[RSkeens]

Hi,

Firstly - greetings from South Africa I gathered from your surname to re-inforce the "SA" - hope I'm right lol.

From what I gathered, you are referring to your name servers being on a different server than your actual hosting server - this is often a good choice. There are quite a few companies that do third-party DNS management instead of getting your DNS managed by your host.

Best wishes

RavenServers

[tical]

You've got a couple of options... you can either outsource DNS to your registrar or to a DNS service like DNSMadeEasy.com. Or if you're running your own DNS on your server (sounds like you are), you could buy an IP tunnel from some place (I'm not sure who sells this service - it has a HUGE potential for abuse). With tunneled IPs you could take them with you to any host, so long as the host allows the tunneling protocol (most probably do).

[Frankc22]

I will definitively explore the Ip Tunnel option thank you.

I ran my own nameservers and there is too many domains to outsource the dns or even just secondary dns services. Too expensive.

Our registrar also don't have such services and their stupid old system is in fact the major reason for all this trouble.

[spaethco]

Tunneling will likely cost more than just renting a small dedicated server or VPS elsewhere, not to mention it introduces a Rube Goldberg level of complexity in creating multiple single points of failure for what should be a simple process.

As we pointed out when you started this same thread a few days ago, just getting a couple cheap dedicated/VPS boxes would be more than sufficient for this.

1. Get 2 servers (virtual or physical) for DNS-only operations at stable companies, give only those IP addresses to your registrar.
   
2. Set them up as cPanel DNS-only slaves from your primary hosting boxes. Your cPanel boxen will take care of pushing all of the necessary domain information to the slaves.
   
3. Now the only 2 boxes that remain "fixed" from an IP address standpoint are the 2 DNS-only servers. Since you don't tell your registrar about the hosting boxes you're free to move them as you wish.

[Frankc22]

I agree what you said yes and that was actually also the reason why I ordered an extra server at the planet.

Due to escalating problems with support at the planet I eventually gave up and cancel my servers with them.

This is also the whole point of a 'fixed" ip because I don't want it to be bound by a specific datacenter / host.

[spaethco]

Originally Posted by Frankc22

This is also the whole point of a 'fixed" ip because I don't want it to be bound by a specific datacenter / host.

There's no real way to get around that -- even if you had a high enough demand for addressing to acquire your own netblock, you'd still have to build out an infrastructure and source it from somewhere. IP addresses, in the overwhelming majority of cases, have location affinities. Even if you look at doing IP tunneling, that service has to live somewhere and be operated by some entity; if you don't like the service you're in the same boat as you're in now (forced to make another IP change).

Originally Posted by Frankc22

Due to escalating problems with support at the planet I eventually gave up and cancel my servers with them.

I understand you don't like The Planet; you've mentioned this in the vast majority of your posts here. There's still a vast array of providers to choose from besides them. Select 2 providers (thus eliminating you from having a single provider affinity), implement your DNS servers, and move on to the next thing.

[dean1012]

I see you complain about your registrar a lot... thought of moving registrars? namecheap.com is really good.

[RSkeens]

I see you complain about your registrar a lot... thought of moving registrars? namecheap.com is really good.

There is only one registrar for .co.za domains and because it is a monopoly it can perform as it pleases - almost always in service of the lowest possible levels

[ph0enix]

FYI. IP address octets only go up to 255 (8 bits) so 333.333.333.333 wouldn't be a valid IP address.