[HLUG] Test web server

[Andrew Hodgson]

Paul Stenning wrote:

>Andrew Hodgson wrote:
>> Hi,
>> 
>> Best to set up a caching DNS server on the LAN.  

>Can the Bind DNS that's already on my server be set up do that?

Yes.  Here is one web page which gives details:

http://www.ubuntugeek.com/dns-server-setup-using-bind-in-ubuntu.html

I would rather use root hints and not rely on any ISP DNS server.  Read
the configuration files carefully and alter to sute.  You may want to
use domain.local instead of your real domain name if this is a test
setup.  You would also need then to set the DNS settings in the
router/TCP/IP properties to look at the Bind server only.  The Bind
server should look up external names using the root nameservers, if it
does not have a zone for that domain - eg, www.google.com.  DNS
configuration using Bind is quite complex and there are several hundred
topics about it on the net.


>> Some routers also have
>> DNS proxy functionality, where you can enter local hostnames into the
>> router config and they will be resolved to the local IP addresses,
but
>> it then forwards everything to the ISP's DNS server.  

>There doesn't seem to be any options for this in my Netgear DG834G
router.

Don't know about router.

Another couple of thoughts - what is wrong with using the hosts files on
the Vista PC, there is also a service www.opendns.com, which provides
local DNS hacks, but I am not a huge fan of the service, but it may do
what you want - check out the VPN/Intranet lookup feature.

Andrew.