Hostname not being added automatically to DNS

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Level 1

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Hostname not being added automatically to DNS

Summary: I just configured an Xserve for DNS. I have a handful of 10.4 clients that are configured to use the Xserve as their primary DNS. Client's are not able to resolve each other's names. Looking in Server Admin, under the DNS's Machine tab, I do not see any clients listed, only the server. If I manually add the clients hostname and ip address in this section than names resolve. However, I do not want to hand edit these entries every time an IP changes. Aren't hostnames supposed to be added automatically to the DNS server being used?

*Client Configuration:*

- Changed each client's hostname via terminal "sudo hostname client.ourdomainname.net".
- Added our domain name to the Search Base.
- Added the Xserve's IP address as the DNS server.
- Each client receives it's IP address from the Xserve via DHCP (static IP's are set).
- Clients are bound to the Xserve's Open Directory

I first thought that DNS entries were not being automatically created because the client IP's were manually set at first. Then, I started DHCP on the Xserve and started assigning IP's via MAC reservation. However, I have the same problem.

I tried using our Windows DNS box and it's domain name in the Search Base, and I can resolve all the windows machines, but none of the mac clients as their IP's aren't being added to DNS.

I just don't know if this is a client or server issue. Any thoughts?

Also, if I wanted the Mac clients to operate off of the Windows DNS instead, how would I get the macs to inject their hostname into the DNS server?

PowerMacG5, Mac OS X (10.4.11)

Posted on Jun 26, 2008 2:13 PM

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Answer 1

Camelot

Level 9

58,563 points

Jun 27, 2008 1:10 AM in response to thecompnerd

Aren't hostnames supposed to be added automatically to the DNS server being used?

Absolutely not. Not unless you're using Dynamic DNS and your DHCP server is configured to rewrite your zone files on the fly (hint: this is not standard).

What should happen is that hosts will auto-register under the .local zone, so that you can get to each machine via <machinename>.local, but it won't auto-populate your real, public zone. That would be like exposing your entire DHCP network to the outside world.

Also, if I wanted the Mac clients to operate off of the Windows DNS instead, how would I get the macs to inject their hostname into the DNS server?

You don't. You get the DHCP server to do this as it issues DHCP addresses to clients (I think Windows Server's DHCP server will do this, but since I've never run it I can't be certain, nor tell you how).

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Answer 2

thecompnerd Author

Level 1

0 points

Jun 27, 2008 9:45 AM in response to Camelot

Camelot wrote:

Aren't hostnames supposed to be added automatically to the DNS server being used?

Absolutely not. Not unless you're using Dynamic DNS and your DHCP server is configured to rewrite your zone files on the fly (hint: this is not standard).

What should happen is that hosts will auto-register under the .local zone, so that you can get to each machine via <machinename>.local, but it won't auto-populate your real, public zone. That would be like exposing your entire DHCP network to the outside world.

I don't know if it makes a difference, but our Xserve is not providing any services outside of our private network. We have a much larger Windows and Linux infrastructure that handles that (DHCP, DNS, proxy, and routing) for 150 internal Windows boxes. I'm only trying to provide internal services for the Macs, mainly Open Directory for network logins instead of local logins.

Any way, my understanding was that for Open Directory and Kerberos to function, the Xserve and all the clients need a FQDN to work. So I made up a FQDN under the DNS service that is not actually a public domain. Then, I configured the Xserve and macs with their FQDN and set the Xserve as their DNS server.

Instead of configuring dynamic DNS and the DHCP service for rewrites, could I just set the clients Search Domains to "OurFictionalDomain.net, local" and the DNS server as the Xserve's IP so that they can resolve the server's FQDN (via DNS) and each other's names (via local)? In other words, what name resolution settings are needed for my Open Directory and Kerberos to function and without the need to set up static hostname to IP address mappings?

Optionally, could I just configure Dynamic Dns and DHCP rewrites since I'm not providing outside services?

Also, if I wanted the Mac clients to operate off of the Windows DNS instead, how would I get the macs to inject their hostname into the DNS server?

You don't. You get the DHCP server to do this as it issues DHCP addresses to clients (I think Windows Server's DHCP server will do this, but since I've never run it I can't be certain, nor tell you how).

I spoke with the tech who setup our Windows DNS and DHCP box and he said he had to enable certain settings for DNS to be automatically updated by the Windows boxes. I was not aware that this was necessary as I've always seen DNS automatically update itself and thought it was the norm.

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Answer 3

foilpan

Level 4

1,385 points

Jun 27, 2008 7:15 PM in response to thecompnerd

you don't need fully qualified names for the clients, just the server. if you're already hosting dns elsewhere, make sure the server's name resolves forward and back and that all clients can do the same. that's all you need.

also, as camelot indicated above, dhcp clients don't register their hostnames in dns by default like under some dhcp server setups. it can be done, but it doesn't seem necessary for you in this situation.

for details on some ways to configure dynamic dns like this, check these:

http://www.afp548.com/article.php?story=20060529143335323
http://howtoforge.com/fedoradynamicdns

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Answer 4

Jun 29, 2008 10:05 AM in response to foilpan

You don't need this but:

How a Windows DNS can be updated by pre W2K DHCP clients (and Macs/Samba clients):

http://technet2.microsoft.com/windowsserver/en/library/978d0fa4-b5a4-4d12-82e0-7 832b1ddb1b11033.mspx?mfr=true

I guess if machines are bound to an AD "the binding name" is used as the hostname or maybe the OS X DHCP ID in Network prefpane could be used (?), if not bound to an AD.

There's also wide area bonjour:

http://www.dns-sd.org/ClientSetup.html

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Answer 5

thecompnerd Author

Level 1

0 points

Jun 30, 2008 7:20 AM in response to Leif Carlsson

Thank you all for the help! I have all the information I need to finish this up.

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