[PLUG] Victor is trying to understand DNS

Bill Barry bill at billbarry.org
Sun Oct 14 07:20:02 UTC 2007


On 10/13/07, Victor Soich <vsoich at gmail.com> wrote:
> Hi,
>
> I installed Debian on my machine.  I have an IP address through
> comcast through DHCP.  I am making use of dyndns.org.  I have a VPS
> through slicehost.  I am trying to understand DNS and I think I
> understand it, but I want to have my understanding verified with a few
> possibly naive questions.
>
> In order to set up a primary name server and secondary name server I
> have to have a static IP address, i.e.  I can't set up the
> aforementioned name servers because dyndns.org takes care of finding
> my host computer.  Or is it the case that dyndns.org "finds" my host,
> and my host can be a primary name server.  Am I understanding this
> correctly?  And am I saying it appropriately?
>
> Also, through my VPS, it's pointless to have a dns server, because my
> VPS is a single server, not a network of computers.  Is this correct?
>
> Essentially, the only reason I would set up a primary name server and
> secondary name server is if I had a static IP address at my home, and
> under that IP address, ( a submask, I think )  I had a network of
> computers that I wanted to be accessible by the outside Internet.  Is
> this correct?
>
> Anyways, I've gone from almost complete ignorance to a hazy
> understanding of the ramifications of a static IP address viz a viz
> DNS, and I hope I articulated my questions appropriately.
>
> Thank you for your consideration.
>
> Sincerely,
> Victor Soich

The answer to your question is hidden in this set of riddles.

What does a nameserver do?  When do you need one? Does dyndns.org
qualify as a nameserver?

What is a static IP?  If I gave you two IP addresses and one was
static and the other dynamic could you tell me which one was which?
If not then what does it matter, and more importantly when does it
matter?

Bill



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