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Name Resolution Search order

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by skenny

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I have been dealing with a name resolution problem involving 95/98/NT/2000 machines. The machines are set up under an NT server from which they receive IP, DNS, and WINS addresses. Currently they are on an ISDN line that occasionally goes out. When the Internet is gone the DNS server is gone and Outlook name resolution that relies on DNS first will time out and the PC?s will receive errors. Eventually after telling Outlook to retry it will find the server. What I am looking to do is find the best possible solution to solve this problem. I know I can create a HOSTS file, or build a DNS server. I have also read several articles in TechRepublic on changing the registry to make WINS search before DNS (I have not been able to successfully change the registry so this will work). I would like to know what the best way to solve this problem is. I would appreciate opinions on this issue so I can better decide pros and cons in deciding what would be the most efficient and effective solution. Any other possible solution to this dilemma is welcome.

The following are the TechNet articles I found on changing the registry to change the search order. I have not been able to get it to work.
Q139270 How to change Name Resolution order on Windows 95 and Windows NT
Q171567 Windows NT 4.0 Service Provider Priority Values Not Applied
Q170619 Windows 95 ServiceProvider Priority Values Not Applied

6 replies

by mebudman

probably the easiest thing to do would be create a dns server internally, that resolves all internal addresses (you do not have to add all the entries your self, it will be built dynamically) and forwards requests for external addresses out to your ISP dns servers. The steps are very simple to accomplish, install dns software, create zone, update dhcp with correct dns information

Here are the steps
1. Install dns on an internal server
2. create the primary zone, 'yourdomain.com.dns'
3. create the primary reverse lookup zone,
(assume this is just a sample)
1.168.192.in-addr.arpa.dns
4. on the properties for you primary zone, it to use wins reverse lookup
5. on the properties for the server, under forwarders, add your isp dnsservers, timeout of 5 sec
6. update your dhcp scope options to include (06) DNS servers (the only entry for this should be your internal dns server)
(03) Router--your server with the ISDN modem
(15) Domain name (yourdomain.com),
(28) BroadcastAddress (255.255.255.255) [I found that WIN98 will never broadcast if using DHCP without having this value set]
(44) WINS severs (your wins server address here)
(46) WINS node type (0x08) hybrid

You should find that your computer response times actually increase using an internal DNS server. This has been my experience at every network I setup or modify.

Hope this helps. Let me know if you need any more information.

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