Linux DNS – How to Register Linux Server with Windows DNS Server

domain-name-systemlinuxUbuntu

I have several Ubuntu machines (mostly 8.04) that I would like to register their hostnames (or desired hostnames) with my main DNS server running on Windows 2000 so that I can access these machines from any other machine using that DNS server by hostname. Windows clients can do this automatically with the MS client or manually with ipconfig /registerdns. How do I do the equivalent in Linux? I don't necessarily want to register them with the domain using Likewise Open, unless that is the only way to send DNS entries to the Windows server.

These are static IP's. I realize I could add the DNS entries on the Windows side manually as well, but I'm not actually in charge of that Windows DNS server.

Best Answer

Sorry, I forgot to put in the question that these are static IP's. I realize I could add the DNS entries on the Windows side manually as well, but I'm not actually in charge of that Windows DNS server.

If you don’t have control of the DNS server, and if the DNS isn’t set up to allow non-secure updates, and it isn't set up to update based on DHCP assignments, and you have a static address, then you are probably out of luck.

Since this system has a static address, is there some reason you can’t just contact the person who runs the DNS server and ask them to add a record for your system?

Related Solutions

GPO – Setting ‘Register This Connection’s Addresses in DNS’

There isn't a group policy setting to do what you're trying to do-- you're going to have to use a script.

First, I'd recommend reviewing the "Explain" tab for the settings you described above. You'll see that none of the settings actually turn on the registration behaviour you're looking for.

Assuming your machines get DNS settings from DHCP, and assuming that you don't mind this setting set back to the stock setting on all their network interfaces, assign the following in a Startup Script to the affected computers:

for /f "usebackq tokens=3* delims= " %%i in (`netsh interface ip show dns ^| find "Configuration for interface"`) do netsh interface ip set dns name=%%j source=dhcp primary

That will set the DNS client to get its address from DHCP, and reset the stock registration setting on all network interfaces on a Windows XP machine.

(An aside: You ought to figure out how your users changed that setting in the first place and stop them. It sounds like you have people who have 'Administrator' rights who shouldn't.)

Openvpn – DNS Does Not Register at Off-site Locations

Clients needs hints in the DHCP request to do the Dynamic DNS work, they do not use the DNS settings generally. What is probably happening is the remote sites are using local DHCP server (perhaps running on the routers) that do not provide those hints. Either configure the router for proxy DHCP back to the Windows DC, or setup the local DHCP server to tell the clients to do dynamic DNS. Some instructions fpor the most common Linux DHCP server are here: http://www.debianadmin.com/howto-setup-dhcp-server-and-dynamic-dns-with-bind-in-debian.html

Also you could setup a DC for a subdomain at the remote site, but I'm guessing you don't want to do that.

Best Answer

Related Solutions

GPO – Setting ‘Register This Connection’s Addresses in DNS’

Openvpn – DNS Does Not Register at Off-site Locations

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