Friday, March 18, 2005

How to Configure a Gateway of Last Resort

We’re often asked about how to connect a LAN to the Internet through a Cisco router. You need to have a way of telling the router, “If you don’t know what else to do with a packet, send it to the default network.” In this case, the default network would be your Internet connection. It’s actually quite simple.

Configure a static route like this:
#conf t(config)#ip route 0.0.0.0 0.0.0.0 [target IP address (e.g. the Intenet address of the router)]

This command simply tells the router to send any packets addressed to unknown networks to the address specified at the end of the command. The specified address becomes your gateway of last resort. (Sounds pretty desperate, doesn’t it?)

For more information about default routing, register for our two-day Cisco Router Fundamentals Hands-On Workshop, available for onsite scheduling at your location for groups of four or more. Call 206.988.5858 or click here for details. Open-enrollment, public seminars are often available. Check online at http://www.soundtraining.net/ for dates and locations.

Thursday, March 17, 2005

How to Use Dynamic DNS with Legacy Microsoft Clients

Windows 2000 Server (all editions) and Windows Server 2003 support Dynamic DNS. The benefit of Dynamic DNS is that it’s not necessary to manually update client resource records in DNS. A Windows 2000/2003 server running DHCP can also update legacy client’s resource records in DNS. If your network includes clients older than Windows 2000, this feature can save you much time.

By default this should be turned on, but you can check by right-clicking on an appropriate DHCP server or its scope and choosing Properties. Under the DNS tab, ensure that the box labeled, “Enable updates for DNS clients that do not support dynamic updates” is checked. It’s similar in Windows Server 2003, except the check box is labeled, “Dynamically update DNS A and PTR records for DHCP clients that do not request for updates (for example, clients that are running Windows NT 4.0).”

Learn more about working with Windows Server 2003 in our 2-day Windows Server 2003 seminar, available for onsite scheduling at your location for groups of four or more.

Thursday, March 10, 2005

How to Use "rndc" to Control Your BIND Server

BIND is the most popular version of the DNS server. Distributed by ISC, the current version of BIND is 9.3.0. Newer versions of BIND are relatively easy to compile on systems running Linux or UNIX, but configuration and operation can be…err…challenging.

One of the tools that makes BIND administration simpler is rndc (ndc in BIND 8x), the remote name daemon controller. rndc allows you to halt named, reload DNS database files, reload configuration files, view the status of the server, and more.

View available commands by entering rndc with no options at a command prompt or view the man page.

Learn more about rndc and see it in use with our newly updated one-day seminar BIND DNS: Installing, Configuring, Optimizing, and Troubleshooting. It’s now available for presentation at your location. Call 206.988.5858 or click here for more info.