[RndTbl] simple name service

Robert Keizer robert at keizer.ca
Sun Jan 22 11:40:40 CST 2012


On 12-01-22 11:12 AM, Dan Martin wrote:
> The network seems connected.  I'd like to be able to refer to the machines by their names.
>
> I have up to 9 machines connected, each with a distinct manually set IP address (not counting some virtual machines in Parallels on the Mac). The machines have a variety of OSs.
>
> I may get a registered domain name, but not for about a year from now.  For now I would like the simplest (read laziest) solution possible.  I am hoping that there is a very simple way to run a DNS service privately on the network as opposed to changing /etc/hosts on a number of machines.
>
> Most of what I have seen makes this look more than trivial.  I am running Suse (I think Suse 10) on my gateway, but hoping I could follow directions for setting up on Ubuntu at
> http://lani78.wordpress.com/2008/08/09/setting-up-a-dns-for-the-local-network/
>
> I don't want to do anything more complicated than that for the time being.
>
> Suggestions?  is there a lazier way?
>
> -Dan
>
> Dan Martin
> GP Hospital Practitioner
> Computer Scientist
> ummar143 at shaw.ca
> (204) 831-1746
> answering machine always on
>
>
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Make sure that your machines DNS settings go to the gateway, not your 
upstream providers DNS servers. If you've been setting the IP's 
statically you may have set it to something other than your gateway. In 
fact, you most likely have. You'll need to change /etc/resolv.conf if 
you have.

I've used small bind installs on a fair number of systems now, and 
honestly, they are dirt simple. I'd suggest following a guide like that 
and posting to the list if you have an issue with anything specific. I 
know most people at MUUG who run DNS servers run Bind, or are very 
familiar with it, so we'll be able to help you out.

Another option: If you know which MAC addresses go to which machines, 
you could setup a small DHCP server and have their addresses set in 
/etc/dhcpd.conf. This would allow you to change the IP range fairly 
easily, and also push custom DNS options down without having to touch 
each machine.

All the best,
Rob


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