Kenneth Stephen wrote:
> Thanks for the replies. However, everything I know about DNS comes
> from the HOWTO, and as I am discovering, that isnt a good source of info.
A better source is the Name Server Operations Guide, contained in the
file `bog.ps' (which should come with BIND). This hasn't been updated
for 8.1.*, but the format of the zone files hasn't changed.
> So here are a few questions :
>
> 1. Where are the cache files?
In the same directory as the others. This is specified by the
`directory' option in named.conf.
> What do I check them for to see if they are valid?
Check that they comply with the synta described in sections 5.4 and
5.5 of the Operations Guide.
> 2. How does the DNS server uses the nameservers of my ISP?
It doesn't, unless you tell it to. By default, all queries (other than
those for domains listed in named.conf) will be recursive (i.e. start
at the root nameservers).
1. Ask the root nameservers. These will tell it which nameservers
handle the .uk domain.
2. Ask those; they will tell it which nameservers handle the .co.uk
domain.
3. Ask those; they will tell it which nameservers handle the
sensei.co.uk domain.
4. Ask those; they will provide the actual answer.
You can use the `forwarders' directive to tell it to forward all
queries to one or more other nameservers (e.g. those of your ISP).
E.g.
options {
forwarders { x.x.x.x; y.y.y.y; };
};
will tell it to forward queries to x.x.x.x and y.y.y.y instead of
handling them itself.
> I dont see
> where such a hookup is made. If I understand correctly, the root.hints
> file that I copied from the HOWTO will directly start the search from the
> ROOT-SERVERS instead of the DNS servers of my ISP. (This is of course
> assuming that I will at some point in time get my DNS server to work
> without giving me errors).
Yes.
> 3. As you can see from the config files I posted in another note, the
> query-source option was commented out. I uncommented it and restarted the
> server only to get [127.0.0.1].53 (which may be the right port, but
> according to you is the wrong address. I dont understand what I am doing
> wrong here.
It may just be that if you only have one interface, it binds to that
automatically. This may present problems if your only interfaces are
the loopback interface and a dial-up connection which isn't
established at the time that named is started.
Try adding either
query-source address * port *;
or
query-source address 0.0.0.0 port *;
to the `options' section in named.conf.
Failing that, try `ndc restart' when your dial-up connectin is active.
--
Glynn Clements <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
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