Internal DNS Resolution

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Level 1

93 points

Internal DNS Resolution

Hi folks. I have a situation that is a bit confusing, so I will explain it as I've tested.

I have multiple machines on my Airport Extreme LAN. I have a box that has Leopard Server 10.5.8. It is running web, email, and DNS. I have a couple laptops, and a workstation, an iPod, an iPhone, and an iPad Mini all on internal static IP.

On the workstation, I write web stuff, and I force local domains (i.e. localtest.local) for various projects. Set up in Apache virtual hosts and set in my hosts file so I can quickly get to the landing page on the workstation.

The iPad can't see localtest.local. So I inserted a secondary domain record, fully qualified, in the DNS. I don't want the outside world to see my internal test domains, but I do want the whole LAN to use broadcasts to see these domains. She's not working. The server can see localtest.local, but the iPad nor either of the two laptops can see it. I can't edit a hosts file on the iPad, so I'm screwed.

There has to be a way of having the LAN broadcast internal VHosts, epecially since there's a secondary record in the DNS.

What am I doing wrong?

Cheers

Mac Pro, OS X Mountain Lion (10.8.2), Hypercard UG!

Posted on Nov 18, 2012 9:06 AM

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Answer 1

Best reply

UptimeJeff

Level 4

3,479 points

Dec 4, 2012 5:24 PM in response to BioRich

Your iPad needs to use your leopard server for DNS resolution. If you can visit the dev sit from your server but not the ipad, then this is almost definitely the issue.

Your DHCP Server is probably feeding the DNS settings to your ipad, so change the DNS settings in DHCP Server to your Leopard Server. Or manually set the DNS address on the ipad to the leopard server's lan address.

also-

Not a good idea to use .local because its used for other purposes....

For me, if the client is cnn.com, I might setup dev.cnn.com pointing to internal server..

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Answer 2

BioRich Author

Level 1

93 points

Dec 4, 2012 6:14 PM in response to UptimeJeff

Hi Jeff. Thanks for the reply.

Some observations:

1. Bought a brand new Mini server. More services on this one.

2. DNS was properly set up. iPad still couldn't go there.

3. I always had internal boxes/units pointing to the LAN DNS for all this. Internal statoc IP's as well. Everything looked by force, to that server hosting DNS.

4. .local was what was suggested back then, but not now. Hence the purchase of a new unit. I've also renamed boxes for the whole ".local" multicast, and assigned internal IPs to proper subdomain machine names.

Love the new box. Put in a low volume OWC SSD in there, and it's lightning. Got 16 GB in the mail coming as well. Snappy. Should work on the LAN resolution, but still working out mail accounts and all that, given I have vhosts that I want realm'd for email.

Cheers

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Answer 3

UptimeJeff

Level 4

3,479 points

Dec 4, 2012 6:25 PM in response to BioRich

you can change the .local setup anytime.. You don't have to change anything except for local DNS and the apache vhosts. you could even leave the existing .local vhosts in place and add alternates as aliases.

i would think DNS.

you could of course watch apache logs and see if the ipad hist the server at all.

use a dns resolver app to see how the ipad resolves .local (maybe it has issues with .local)

anyway.. sounds like you have a good handle on it all.

Good luck

Enjoy the new server

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Answer 4

BioRich Author

Level 1

93 points

Dec 4, 2012 6:29 PM in response to UptimeJeff

That, vhosts and dns is pretty much all pointer infrastructure on my LAN.

In any case, it's been reconfigured. I'm still having LAN issues. Before all this, I was watching logs.

Since 10.5.x, they have changed the role of .local for some reason or another. Not to mention, replaced the location YET AGAIN for apache conf files.

But yes, things are moving forward. I've told Apple that stuff like this, at the cost that it is, should be rock solid, which means documentation as well, especially for small buisnesses that want VHosts for locally hosted multiple domains. 2012 and they said "ya we thought of that". Sheesh.

Cheers

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