DNS Server Windows 2003 (or 2000)

[aus-city]

I am having problems with my ISPs DNS not being as fast as I would like it.

Anyone out there running a Windows 2003 or 2000 server that knows how to set up a DNS?

I am running a Windows 2003 Enterprise Edition server, that also is running routing and remote access for the network sharing.

The DNS is working finding and answering.

However how can I assign a name to the DNS's IP address...

>nslookup
*** Can't find server name for address 192.168.0.1: Non-existent domain
Default Server: UnKnown
Address: 192.168.0.1

> westhost.com
Server: UnKnown
Address: 192.168.0.1

Non-authoritative answer:
Name: westhost.com
Address: 64.33.81.135

>

It is working, but annoying as I have to assign a name against the IP, any ideas?

[IanS]

Originally posted by aus-city
I am having problems with my ISPs DNS not being as fast as I would like it.

....

However how can I assign a name to the DNS's IP address...

>nslookup
*** Can't find server name for address 192.168.0.1: Non-existent domain
Default Server: UnKnown
Address: 192.168.0.1

> westhost.com
Server: UnKnown
Address: 192.168.0.1

Non-authoritative answer:
Name: westhost.com
Address: 64.33.81.135

>

It is working, but annoying as I have to assign a name against the IP, any ideas?

192.168.X.X is a private set of IP addresses - in other words the world doesn't 'see' these IP's which is why you get the response above.

A lookup on http://www.dnsstuff.com of 192.168.0.1 gives the following:

OrgName: Internet Assigned Numbers Authority
OrgID: IANA
Address: 4676 Admiralty Way, Suite 330
City: Marina del Rey
StateProv: CA
PostalCode: 90292-6695
Country: US

NetRange: 192.168.0.0 - 192.168.255.255
CIDR: 192.168.0.0/16
NetName: IANA-CBLK1
NetHandle: NET-192-168-0-0-1
Parent: NET-192-0-0-0-0
NetType: IANA Special Use
NameServer: BLACKHOLE-1.IANA.ORG
NameServer: BLACKHOLE-2.IANA.ORG
Comment: This block is reserved for special purposes.
Comment: Please see RFC 1918 for additional information.
Comment:
RegDate: 1994-03-15
Updated: 2002-09-16

Westhost.com is owned by:
WestHost Inc.
WestHost Hostmaster (hostmaster@westhost.com)
+1.4357553449
Fax: +1.4357553449
200 N Spring Creek Parkway
Providence, UT 84332
US

This appears to be an inferior competitor of Powweb! (They can't get their own front page setup correctly without an error!)

In order to run a website with a domain the world can see a domain name needs to be registered and then the Nameservers pointed to the computer that hosts the domain.

Powweb is one such hosting company (and very good too in many ways)

Windows 2000 Server and Windows 2003 are generally used to run internal networks within a company, office or home.

I don't know if they can be used as web servers - someone else will have to help you there - but if you're wishing to set up a web-site I'd suggest you crawl before you run the marathon - Sign-up with Powweb, get your web-site built and visited and then think about running your own web-server when the 1Gb of memory and 5Gb/day bandwidth isn't sufficient for your needs.

You'll get loads of help from the forums from people who have got to the first stage (and well beyond).

As a first stage, register a domain name (eg. aus-city.com), order a package from Powweb, and then point the Nameservers to Powweb (the registration company will help with that).

Second stage, build your web-site.

Third stage - well do 1st and 2nd stages first!

Now, you say your ISP's DNS isn't as quick as you'd like. Who is your ISP and in what way isn't it 'quick'?

Are you using a modem or have you a cable or DSL connection?

Is it the response from the Internet generally that you feel is slow? - This can be caused by many things, the ISP being only one of them.