Setting Up A Caching DNS Server On A Private Network

[Andrew Kaplan]

Hi there --

I have completed downloading the BIND software onto a system that will server as the DNS server, and I am now ready to configure the it. The type of server I want to create is a caching server. The reason for this is I want the system to resolve hostnames exclusively within a private network, 192.168.0.x, and the server will NOT have access to the Internet. I know I will need to modify the /etc/named.conf and other files but I am not familiar with what settings are needed. What tools and/or entries can I use to complete the configuration of the server? Thanks.

[Bill Thorsteinson]

You don't want a caching server in this case.
You need a full server with listing for
your 192.168.0.*.* network. You will
need to do forward and backward listing.

There is no official top level domain for
private networks. I use LCL or PRI, or just
drop the top level all together.

Look at the bind howto at TLDP.org. Skip
the section on root servers. You will be
the root server.

As an alternative to bind you may want to
look at DNSMasq which is simpler to configure. You just need to create a
/etc/hosts file.

[Andrew Kaplan]

Hi there --

I have done some configuration and according to the /etc/init.d/named status command, the server is running. However, when I do an nslookup command on any of the servers, I get the error ;; connection timed out; no servers could be reached.

I am enclosing a copy of the named.conf file for your perusal.

[Alan_152]

take a look at djbdns/tinydns instead of bind for this purpose. Smaller, easier to configure, and better suited for your specific purpose.

[Ivan Ferreira]

You configuration file seems to be good, try using dig:

dig @ip_of_dns_server www.hp.com

Post the results. Check your /etc/resolv.conf file, it should be like this:

domain example.com
nameserver 127.0.0.1