DNS Error - All checks work but one

[Will Hamilton]

Hullo all,

I'm new to setting up a nameserver and am having a few problems. I've vollowed a guide <snip> fairly closely, but am getting some errors when I run checks on the setup.

For:

# dig @localhost +short A example.com
# dig @localhost +short MX example.com
# dig @localhost +short NS example.com

- I get all the correct returns, but with:

# dig @localhost +short -x 192.168.1.1

(example IP) - I get nothing. No return at all.

I'm confused since all the other checks work okay. Does anyone have any idea what might be causing this problem?

[edited by: Webwork at 6:59 pm (utc) on Dec. 20, 2007]
[edit reason] Please, no hotlinks to resources; See Charter [/edit]

[Will Hamilton]

I think the problem might be in my reverse lookup.. Let's say:

Nameserver IP: 11.22.33.44
Webserver IP: 11.22.55.66

Now, for this part in my named.conf:

zone "--------.in-addr.arpa" {
type master;
file ""--------..in-addr.arpa.zone";
};

I have to put the reverse lookup of my IP, where the ------ is. Would this be..

a) 66.55.22.11
b) 22.11

?

[jtara]

I think the problem might be in my reverse lookup

There's a 99+% chance that you don't control the reverse zone - your hosting provider or ISP does. (Or one of their upstream providers.)

So, anything you put in your zone file for the reverse is moot.

You will have to ask your hosting provider or ISP to set-up the reverse for you.

Alternately, they can delegate the reverse for your IPs to your DNS server. But, generally, they don't like to do that.

[Will Hamilton]

I'm on a dedicated server, so do control the reverse zone. I did find the problem was there - I'd neglected to replace a few IP numbers in the example file I'd used from that guide.

I'm getting positive responses for my digs now; so think everything will soon be all right.

[Will Hamilton]

It just doesn't seem to be able to find my nameservers.. When I do a NSLOOKUP, after "Authoritative answers can be found from:" , there's nothing.

[jtara]

I'm on a dedicated server, so do control the reverse zone.

That's certainly not a given. In most cases, a dedicated server will still have the reverse zone controlled by the hosting company, ISP, data center, or upstream provider.

It still sounds like the parent zone has not delegated your IPs to your DNS server.

When you dig directly on your DNS server, sure, you are going to get a response. But the public DNS servers are never going to go to your DNS server.