Microsoft DNS Problem

DNSCMD and ports

[darthmoose]

Hi, I am trying to shut down all unnecessary ports on a Windows 2000 Server running MS DNS and IIS. I leave TCP and UDP ports 53 open, but when I try and run DNSCMD.EXE it fails, if I open all TCP ports DNSCMD.EXE works! Does anyone know what other ports DNS or DNSCMD may use?

[digitalv]

According to this document on Microsoft's site, DNS Administration uses port 139, the NETBios port.

If I were you, I would consider running PowerDNS, an ODBC-powered DNS server. There is no recursor so you can't look up external domains if you're running PowerDNS, but if you're hosting websites it's a GREAT name server and you don't have to mess with active directory or text files. Want to add a new domain? Just add it to the database.

Anyway here's the doc on Microsoft's site if you still want to use MS.

[microsoft.com...]

[IanTurner]

Do you know if PowerDNS will run on XP Pro?

[darthmoose]

Well I installed PowerDNS on XP Pro, and the service is running -> odbc connection successful to mysql.
how do a do a query to see if it is working?

[digitalv]

Just try to access one of the domains in the database where that DNS is in use - if it resolves to the IP in the database you're solid.

Remember though PowerDNS is not a recursor so you can't use it as the DNS you use on your system to access the web. It's for hosting and that's about it - if you need OUTBOUND access (access to sites not defined in your own DNS) use your ISP's name servers.

In other words... in "network properties" on your system, enter your ISP's name servers and not your own. For the domains you're hosting, point them at the registrar to your PowerDNS-enabled name server.