I would like to know whether a LinkSys BEFSX41 functions as a DNS
server. It is a broadband router with a 4-ports 10/100 switch. I am
sure that it can work as a DHCP server. But I am not sure if it also
works as a DNS server. I have examined its configuration screen, and I
only see a couple entries for the IP addresses of DNS servers. Because
of the fact that it expects us to enter the IP address of the DNS
server, I assume that it cannot function as a DNS server, right?

If it cannot function as a DNS server, I am wondering how I can find
something to serve the role as a DNS server within my small home
network. Currently, I have one PC that has XP-Home-Edition, one old PC
that has Win95 SP1, and two network media players (MediaMVP). Can I
configure the XP PC in a way that it can serve as a DNS server? Please
keep in mind that it runs the home-edition of XP, not the
professional-edition. Do I have to assign static IP address to both the
XP PC and the Win95 PC and then entering the host names and the IP
addresses into the HOSTS file in those two PCs? I prefer to use DHCP.
But if I cannot get that IP-to-name issue resolved in any other way, I
can live with assigning static IP addresses.

Thanks in advance for any info.

Jay Chan

jaykc***@hotmail.com wrote:

I believe your are correct.  It *does not* function as a DNS server.

http://www.linksys.com/products/product.asp?grid=34&scid=29&prid=433

Why do you think you need to set up your own DNS server?

If you are paying for access to the internet, that provider should
provide domain name resolution for you.  In fact, with the router you've
indicated, it can be configured to automatically collected the address
of your providers DNS server, and rely your local network's requests for
resolution to it.

Thanks for the confirmation. I had viewed that info-sheet. But I was
wondering whether DNS functionality might be so common that they didn't
bother to list it in the info-sheet.

Good to know this. This means I can enter the ISP IP addresses into the
DNS-server list of the router. One question though: Will I be able to
browse the network neighborhood in my home network when I am not
connecting to internet? Do I have to keep the internet connection alive
just to get the IP-to-hose-name resolution?

Thanks.

Jay Chan

jaykc***@hotmail.com wrote:
Show quoteHide quoteThere won't be any DNS-server list on the router.  From what you've
said, though, I don't think you need one.  Any IP address to name
resolution that you need to be made will be done by an existing DNS server.

Yes.

Yes, but this does not mean that you will not be able to find machines
on your own network when you are not connected to the internet.

Thanks for the follow-up info.

I am trying to understand what you said. I assume you meant:

-  We need the internet connection alive when we add a new PC
   to the home network. Then the DNS server in the ISP has a
   chance to resolve the IP-to-host-name thing. When this is
   done, and when another PC tries to get access to that new
   PC, that second PC will receive the IP-to-host-name info
   from the DNS server in the ISP, and it will save it in the
   cache somewhere in the PC.

-  When the internet connection is down, the second PC will
   use the cached info to continue resolving IP-to-host-name.

This makes sense to me. Thanks.

Jay Chan

jaykc***@hotmail.com wrote:
Show quoteHide quoteNope.

You don't need any DNS service to operate a home network.  If you're
using Windows machines, Windows File sharing is all that you would need.

On 27 Mar 2005 10:05:31 -0800, jaykc***@hotmail.com wrote:

Show quoteHide quoteWhat exactly are you trying to do?
Since you prefer to use DHCP, you don't necessarily have any
need for a DNS server do you?

What "most" people do is get the router (that model or some
other) which retrieves the ISP's DNS server IP #s.  When
your LAN boxes use the DHCP feature, they are sent this DNS
info the router retrieved.  So the router is not resolving
the names but it is pointing them to the system that does,
automatically.

I see. This means if the router has DHCP functionality, it will be able
to also forward the task of IP-to-host-name resolution to the DNS
server in ISP. Therefore, we don't need to setup a DNS server in the
home network.

Thanks.

Jay Chan

jaykc***@hotmail.com wrote:
You will need your own local DNS if you wish to create sub-domains in a
domain you own (not hotmail).

I am trying to understand the info that you have provided.

My questions are:

-  Does this mean I do NOT need a local DNS if I want a
   local domain but not a sub-domain within the local
   domain?

-  Does this mean I need a local DNS if I not only want
   a local domain but also a sub-domain within the local
   domain?

-  I am not sure what the difference between a workgroup
   and a domain. Seem like I only have a workgroup and
   not a domain. At least this is how thing looks like
   when I view the configuration info of the local-
   network. If I only have a workgroup and not a domain,
   does this mean that I really don't need a local DNS
   server?

Thanks in advance for any info.

Jay Chan

I should have added to my last response:

How many machines are there on your home network?

What operating systems are you using for these machines?

What do you want to use the home network for?

I see. No wonder the problem doesn't go away after I entered the ISP IP
address into the router. This means that DNS thing has nothing to do
with the problem that I am having, and I should try to get that Windows
File/Printer Sharing to work and currently it is not working. Seem like
I have been asking the wrong question.

I have two PC: WinXP PC, and Win95 PC
I have two network media player (MediaMVP) (I am under the impression
that these two devices run a slim down version of Linux).

I have been using DHCP with the WinXP PC and those two network media
players without any problem. But I have a lot of problem trying to add
the Win95 PC into the home network. The thing is that the
network-setup-wizard that WinXP has generated only works in Win98 or
above, and it doesn't work with Win95. This means I have to manually
setup the network parameters, and I have probably entered the wrong
network parameters.

I would like to use this home network primarily for sharing internet
connection, and secondarily for transferring files between those two
Windows PCs.

I have read on this issue a little bit. And seem like the use of DNS is
for having PCs available in the internet (as a web server or something)
and those PCs probably need routable IP addresses. Because of the fact
that I don't want those PCs to show up in the internet, and I only have
routable IP address anyway. All I have is one dynamically assigned IP
address that ISP assigns to the router. This means this DNS thing is
not for me (if I understand this correctly).

The bottom line is that I should concentrate on getting that
File/Printer Sharing to work, and not worry about DNS.

Thanks.

Jay Chan

jaykc***@hotmail.com wrote:
Show quoteHide quoteI think you've already come to this conclusion, but you don't need (nor
particularily benefit from having) a DNS server for these requirements.

That sounds like you've got it.

You will essentially be using two networks.  The wide-area network that
is the internet, and your local (4 machine) network.  The router will
serve as a gateway between them.

Here is the goals, in progressive order, that I would attempt:

1) Get DHCP up and running.

    a) Is the router collecting an IP addresses (for your device,
       and 1 or 2 DNS servers) from your ISP

    b) Is the router assigned IP address to the machines in my
       local network.  Typically these will be of the form:
       192.168.1.x

2) Make sure the machines are interconnected.

    a) Can each machine see the router.  Many routers allow you
       to configure them by entering 192.168.1.1 into your web
       browser's address line.  You should be able to see a
       clients table for the interface.  Or ...

    b) Can you ping any machine in your local network from any
       other machine?

3) Establish file and printer sharing.

    a) I don't know how your media boxes work, so I'm sorry I
       can't really comment on that.

    b) Give each PC a unique name, and a common workgroup.  For
       XP, you'll find this information by right-clicking "My
       Computer," and selecting "Properties."  Go to the "Network
       Identification" tab.  For Windows 95, IIRC there's an
       "Identification" tab in the properties of the "Windows
       File and Printer Sharing" protocol -- found in the network
       properties.  Sorry it's been awhile.

    c) Once you have everything set up as you think it should be,
       make sure you restart your machines.  Sometimes it picks it
       up right away, but the restart is a simple means of making
       sure.

Good luck!

Thanks for the action plan. I really appreciate your help. I will try
this in this weekend or hopefully earlier.

Jay Chan

Show quoteHide quote

Finally, I get around with my problem by replacing Win95 with Win98SE.
Now, the PC can do everything that you listed.

Seem like the version of Win95 that I have may not be the best version.
That version is the very first public release of Win95 right after it
came out of beta. Somehow, applying SP1 and other patches cannot fix
the problem.

Glad that this is over.

Jay Chan

jaykc***@hotmail.com wrote:
Show quoteHide quoteYeah, Windows 98 SE is the sweet spot for that era of Windows.  In my
opinion it beats Win95a, Win95b, Win98 and WinME.  It still sucks, but
less than the others.

I'm happy that it has worked out for you as well.

Turned out there is more to this story.

With the help of tech support, I discovered that the firmware of my
LinkSys broadband router was buggy. I could not connect to internet
from neither my WinXP PC nor my Win98se PC. The only way to get
connected is to use a dialer (in effect bypassing the router), and that
was the way I connected to internet for the many months that I have
used DSL (I didn't know anything better). I fix the problem by
downgrading the firmware in that router. Now, everything works the way
it is supposed to. This means both the WinXP PC and the Win98se can
share the DSL connection without using a dialer.

This gets me thinking whether the problem that I experienced with Win95
might have something to do with the buggy firmware in the router. I
will not find out because I will not replace the Win98 with Win95.

Jay Chan

jaykc***@hotmail.com wrote:
Show quoteHide quoteThere's more than one reason to use Win98se over Win95, so that sound
like a good decision in spite of your router difficulties.

I forgot something on my outline:

0) Make sure your network adapters are properly installed
    and connected.

    a) Check cables and connection lights at the card and
       at the router.

    b) Check the Hardware Devices listing to make sure that
       there's a network driver installed and (claimed to be)
       working properly.

    c) On Windows XP, make sure that the network connection
       is enabled.  (I can't remember if you can disable a
       network connection in any way other than deleting it.)

I THINK you mean does that router function as a DHCP server, and yes it
does; it assigns IP addresses to computers connected to it.
DNS servers are only found on the WWW.

Show quoteHide quote

Yes, you are right. I thought I needed a DNS server in order to get the
IP-to-host-name resolution inside my local home network. Turn out this
is not the case. The DNS server is only for WWW as what you have
correctly pointed out.

Jay Chan

Actually, DNS is a requirement for the entire internet so that you
don't have to remember ip addresses. It is not limited to just the
WWW. WWW != the internet.

I see. This means the name of a FTP site also needs DNS to translate
into its IP address. In other words, DNS is used for WWW and FTP and
the like. Thanks for pointing this out.

Jay Chan

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