OS X Server Setup Help

[thankins]

Hi,

Hopefully someone can shine a light on this for me. I am sure I have confused myself more by doing all this research.

I am attempting to setup OS X Server (Leopard Server 10.5.4) on my server and am getting a little confused at the primary DNS Name setup screen.

I have a domain, lets call it macserver.com. It currently does not have any hosting. I plan on hosting it on my own server. I also created an A record (remote.macserver.com) and pointed it to my static IP address that my ISP gave me for remote desktop purposes, and eventually forward all MX records to it as well.

I can ping the A record address (remote.macserver.com) from any other network just fine so I know that is working.


My question is what do I put into the Primary DNS Name section during the setup? Would that be my domain name (macserver.com) or the remote.macserver.com? Should my server name be remote? Or could it be anything I want?

I currently don't have any dns servers. The AEBS is doing DHCP and handling the DNS as well. From my understanding I can setup the server to handle the DNS, and then just put in the DNS information (ip address) for my server in the AEBS setup screen and all should be good.

Thanks for the help.!!


I am not an expert at DNS so any help would be appreciated

 

[belvdr]

You would enter the domain, macserver.com, not the FQDN.

 

[thankins]

You would enter the domain, macserver.com, not the FQDN.

Ok and from my readings, once I complete the setup I would go in and start DNS, and that is where I would enter the FQDN?

Would that be correct?

 

[belvdr]

Ok and from my readings, once I complete the setup I would go in and start DNS, and that is where I would enter the FQDN?

Would that be correct?

No, you create a zone, which handles DNS queries for a domain. You then put records inside the zones for hosts.

 

[thankins]

No, you create a zone, which handles DNS queries for a domain. You then put records inside the zones for hosts.

Yea that is what I meant in a roundabout way.

One more question if you don't mind. We currently have an AEBS that is handling the DHCP, and would like to keep that in place. Once we have the DNS setup on the server we would need to go into the AEBS and configure the DNS fields to point to the new servers IP address is that correct? This would allow all the computer on the network to see the server as well as access the Internet using the server as their DNS server.

 

[belvdr]

Yea that is what I meant in a roundabout way.

One more question if you don't mind. We currently have an AEBS that is handling the DHCP, and would like to keep that in place. Once we have the DNS setup on the server we would need to go into the AEBS and configure the DNS fields to point to the new servers IP address is that correct? This would allow all the computer on the network to see the server as well as access the Internet using the server as their DNS server.

Maybe. I have never configured an AEBS, but usually DHCP services on consumer equipment pass out DNS to either:

1. the router itself, in which case it would forward to your machine
2. the DNS servers it is configured for

Either way, it should work.

 

[thankins]

Maybe. I have never configured an AEBS, but usually DHCP services on consumer equipment pass out DNS to either:

1. the router itself, in which case it would forward to your machine
2. the DNS servers it is configured for

Either way, it should work.

Thanks for your help


Here is a screenshot of the utility - from my understanding I would need to put in the ip address of the server in the DNS field ( i of course removed all the info from the text boxes for security purposes).



And thanks again for all your help - you have cleared up a lot for me

 

[belvdr]

That looks correct. I'm assuming you'd put your static IP in there as well. You might check out the DHCP tab as well to see if it has any DNS information in there.

Oh, and you're welcome.

 

[thankins]

That looks correct. I'm assuming you'd put your static IP in there as well. You might check out the DHCP tab as well to see if it has any DNS information in there.

Oh, and you're welcome.

Yea have a static ip and all that.

And if I am correct, if I had a company hosting my website and MX record. I would just create that A Name (remote.macserver.com) with them and when setting up the domain I would use that address instead of just macserver.com, since they are hosting it.

If you don't know the answer to that, I understand, just trying to get a grasp in case of future installs.

 

[belvdr]

Technically what you are doing is called split DNS. Two DNS servers (one for your internal use and one for everyone else) are being authoritative for your domain.

If you moved this project externally, you'd need your external DNS provider (sounds like your ISP) to update its records, and you would update your records for your internal use.