Lab4.

Domain Name Server Comp2650

Domain Name Server

1) Domain name server master zone configuration

Suppose the server "servxxxx" (xxxx is the last 4 digits of your student ID) is running at host
"l58.l82.8.xxx" (your server IP address) in the domain "comp2650.com". Assume that this subnet has a
workstation ''mydesk" with IP address "l58.182.8.xxx". Create configuration files for this Domain Name
Server (the details are given in the tutorial notes). Check each configuration file to ensure it is error free.

(Note: You can get the IP address of the client computer with the command “ipconfig” under the DOS
prompt in Windows 98. In Redhat Linux, Use command “ifconfig”)

a) Configuration files creation

i) Edit configuration file "/etc/named.conf".
ii) Create configuration file"/var/named/named.comp2650.com.zone".
iii) Create configuration file "/var/named/named.l58.l82.8.zone".
iv) Create configuration file "/var/named/named.0.0.l 27.in-addr.arpa.zone".
v) Create configuration file" /var/named/named.localhost.zone".

“/etc/named.conf”

options
{
directory "/var/named/";
};

//root servers
zone "."
{
type hint;
file "named.ca";
};

//reversing zone for localhost

zone "0.0.127.in-addr.arpa" //zone name
{
type master;
file "named.0.0.127.in-addr.arpa.zone";
};
// internet zone for localhost
zone "localhost"
{
type master;
file "named.localhost.zone";
};
// internet zone for comp2650
zone "comp2650.com"
{
type master; // server type
file "named.comp2650.com.zone"; //DNS file for domain
}; // end zone file
//reversing zone for comp2650
zone "8.182.158.in-addr.arpa"
{
type master; // server type
file "named.158.182.8.zone"; // DNS file for domain
}; // end reverse zone file

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 Lab4. Domain Name Server Comp2650

“/var/named/named.comp2650.com.zone” //Zone file for “comp2650.com”

$TTL 86400
@ IN SOA serv4272.comp2650.com. root.comp2650.com. (
1 ; serial number, YYYYMMDDxx
28800 ; refresh rate in sec. (8 hrs)
14400 ; retry in seconds (4 hours)
3600000 ; expire in seconds (1000 hours)
86400) ; minimum in seconds (24 hours)

IN NS serv4272.comp2650.com.
IN MX 10 serv4272.comp2650.com.

Localhost IN A 127.0.0.1
serv4272 IN A 158.182.8.170
mydesk IN A 158.182.8.169
www IN CNAME serv4272.comp2650.com.

“/var/named/named.158.182.8.zone” // Reverse Mapping for “comp2650.com”

$TTL 86400
@ IN SOA serv4272.comp2650.com. root.comp2650.com. (
2
28800
14400
3600000
86400)

IN NS serv4272.comp2650.com.

170 IN PTR serv4272.comp2650.com.

169 IN PTR mydesk.comp2650.com.

“/var/named/named.localhost.zone” // Zone file for localhost

$TTL 86400
@ IN SOA localhost. root.localhost. (
3
28800
14400
3600000
86400)

@ IN NS localhost.
@ IN A 127.0.0.1

“/var/named/named.0.0.127.in-addr.arpa.zone” // Reverse mapping for localhost

$TTL 86400
@ IN SOA localhost. root.localhost. (
4
28800
14400
360000
86400)

@ IN NS localhost.
1 IN PTR localhost.

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 Lab4. Domain Name Server Comp2650

b) Configuration file debugging

All configuration files must be error-free, otherwise your computer may fail to reboot. If the
configuration file is correct, the returned message is "OK".
i) Debug the "/etc/named.conf'
> named-checkconf /etc/named.conf
ii) Debug the zone files

> named-checkzone -d comp2650.com /var/named/named.comp2650.com.zone

> named-checkzone -d 8.182.158.in-addr.arpa

/var/named/named.l58.l82.8.zone
> named-checkzone -d 0.0.l27.in-addr.arpa /var/named/named.0.0.l27.
in-addr.arpa.zone
> named-checkzone -d localhost /var/named/named.localhost.zone

c) Binded the fixed IP at server side

Use command in Linux

1, #setup
2, choose network configure
3, type the fixed IP
IP: 158.182.8.xxx (your server IP address)
Network mask: 255.255.255.0
Default gateway: 158.182.8.2
Primary nameserver: 158.182.8.xxx (your server IP address)
4, save the setting then quit.

d) Configure the file “/etc/resolv.conf”, “/etc/hosts” , “/etc/sysconfig/network” at server side

i) Configure file “/etc/resolv.conf”

search comp2650.com
nameserver 158.182.8.xxx (your server IP address)

ii) Configure “/etc/hosts”

127.0.0.1 servxxxx.comp2650.com servxxxx

iii) Configure file “/etc/sysconfig/network”

NETWORKING=yes
HOSTNAME=servxxxx.comp2650.com

2) Domain Name Server: Start and Stop

At this stage, all configurations of Domain Name Server have been done. Start, stop and restart this server
manually with root user account as follows, or use "ntsysv" command to enable the DNS daemon "named"
to be started automatically upon boot up.
> /etc/rc.d/init.d/named start
> /etc/rc.d/init.d/named stop
> /etc/rc.d/init.d/named restart

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 Lab4. Domain Name Server Comp2650

3) DNS testing at server side

Use "nslookup" command to test whether the server is working properly. Type the following commands in
the shell prompt of the server side and see what messages are returned.
> nslookup servxxxx.comp2650.com
> nslookup mydesk.comp2650.com
> nslookup l58.l82.8.x (the main server and workstation's IP)
What other tools can be used to test whether the DNS server is working properly?
Use command “dig” or “host”.

4) DNS testing at client side (windows98)

In Windows 98, set the DNS Configuration in TCP/IP properties (see Figure 1) as follows:
Host name: mydesk
Domain: comp2650.com
DNS search Order: the IP address of your DNS server (e.g. 158.182.8.107, 158.182.9.1 and 158.182.9.4
Domain Suffix Search Order: comp2650.com and comp.hkbu.edu.hk

How can you test whether the DNS server is working properly?
Ping any one DNS in internet, then check the DNS IP. If the DNS server work, you can find
this IP by the DNS. If not, the DNS server does not work.

For example:
ping www.yahoo.com.hk
you will see the ip [202.43.221.34]

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