Setting up a DNS Server

[DJ-phYre]

What is the easiest way to setup a DNS Server? Can I just use Windows XP?

I have a Linux machine running Fedora Core 3, but I am going to install Mandrake 10 soon.

What would be the easiest way to turn one of these into a DNS Server?

[SkyDog]

You could install a DNS server like BIND (http://www.isc.org/index.pl?/sw/bind/) or tinydns (http://tinydns.org/) on a Linux box. Windows XP doesn't come with a DNS server, but Windows Server versions do have DNS built-in. There are probably a few freeware/shareware DNS servers out there for Windows, but I'm not familiar with any.

Regardless of what software you use for DNS, you're going to need to do some reading about how DNS works so that you know how to configure your server. Which leads me to ask... Why do you need DNS server software?

[badass_anthony]

Install Bind and Webmin, the easiest way I can think of.
;)

[Thermo]

The DNS that comes with FreeBSD works well. But as said above, you need to understand how DNS works. You can cause and or get in a lot of trouble if you expose a rogue DNS server to a public address.

[Nabby]

Originally posted by SkyDog
Which leads me to ask... Why do you need DNS server software?

I'm kind of curious myself. DNS tends to have huge overhead and maintanence, especially in a small network. Hardly seems worth it, but if you have a large network then I would understand. I was going to implement it at my work but in the end there was no real need for it. We even tried it a few times but having it take about 3-5mins for someone to log on was a pain in the arse. Most of the files used/needed could be handled by shared folders and assigning the proper rights/privilages to them.

[SkyDog]

Actually, the overhead for DNS is relatively small and I hardly spend any time maintaining it at all for our network. (I administer a Windows Server 2003 domain with roughly 2,000+ client machines.) And if it was taking 3-5 minutes to log on, there must've been a configuration problem. When DNS has any effect on logon times, it should make them faster, not slower.

...but unless you're running an Active Directory domain, a multiple subnet network, or need to publish DNS records to the Internet, a DNS server is usually unnecessary.

[RPG Junkie]

Treewalk DNS....

http://ntcanuck.com/

Good progie....works good too

[Nabby]

Originally posted by SkyDog
Actually, the overhead for DNS is relatively small and I hardly spend any time maintaining it at all for our network. (I administer a Windows Server 2003 domain with roughly 2,000+ client machines.) And if it was taking 3-5 minutes to log on, there must've been a configuration problem. When DNS has any effect on logon times, it should make them faster, not slower.

...but unless you're running an Active Directory domain, a multiple subnet network, or need to publish DNS records to the Internet, a DNS server is usually unnecessary.

That's it... I was running an Active Directory Domain. In Windows 2000 Server I couldn't have one without the other. I'm kind of curious if 2003 server is much better at this?

In the end it turned out it was not needed so we killed it :p . It's a small network supporting about 4 permanent users and about 60 students that really don't need server access. Except for maybe printing.