Can't setup DNS server correctly?

[fvonpinho]

I am new to linux. I have followed the HowTo Perfect Setup - OpenSuse 10.2, and everything looks like got installed right. Now, I have some questions about using the servers.

Before those questions, a little background of my setup:

I have a wireless router connected to the ISP through a fixed ip. After that, I have the linux machine (the one I used the HowTo on) that and many other XP machines. The Linux machine gets a fixed IP and I fowrded the ports on the router to this machine (80, 25, 110, 21, and 22). All XP machines are on DHCP and will authenticate on this linux machine using Samba. I installed ISPConfig, but didn't like it, so I did the Maildir code provided in the HowTo. I will then use Webmin. This linux machine is goingo to be my email, http, ftp and samba machine.

Here are the questions:

1- My website is in this linux machine. People from outside my network can see the web site. I can see the website if I type localhost on the linux machine or the IP of that machine on any XP machine inside my network. But if I type in www.mydomain.com, it doesn't work. I am thinking it is related to the DNS server, so I created A records inside the DNS to point www.mydomain.com to the IP of that machine, but it still doesn't work. I am also thinking that if it is related to DNS, how am I going to specify DNS server for the machines that are connected wireless?

2- What is the POP3 and SMTP server names? If I configure an email client to go to the IP of the machine with the POP3 installed, it works, but it won't work with any name.

3- I referred to Falko's posting on how to create email accounts. Is there another way to create an account, or do I always need to keep changing the virtusertable file?

The HowTos are great! Falko has done a great job.
Thank you very much!

Regards,
Fred

[falko]

Originally Posted by fvonpinho

1- My website is in this linux machine. People from outside my network can see the web site. I can see the website if I type localhost on the linux machine or the IP of that machine on any XP machine inside my network. But if I type in www.mydomain.com, it doesn't work. I am thinking it is related to the DNS server, so I created A records inside the DNS to point www.mydomain.com to the IP of that machine, but it still doesn't work. I am also thinking that if it is related to DNS, how am I going to specify DNS server for the machines that are connected wireless?

Sounds as if your router doesn't support loopbacks into your LAN...

Originally Posted by fvonpinho

2- What is the POP3 and SMTP server names? If I configure an email client to go to the IP of the machine with the POP3 installed, it works, but it won't work with any name.

You can use any IP address or FQDN that points to your server.

[fvonpinho]

1- So you don't think it has to do with the DNS? I edit the host.conf file to add www.mydomain.com 192.168.1.2 and it works. The problem is that I can't do this with the windows machines that I have on the network, because many of them are laptops that need to access internet from other networks when people are travelling.

2- I can receive email correctly now (still have the problem where I need to specify the IP if I am inside of my network and if I go outside of the network, I need to change it to the server1.mydomain.com), but can't send email. I did a telnet on port 25 and sent an email through SMTP commands and it worked fine. This was inside my network. Now if I am outside the network, with my laptop, I cannot telnet to port 25 at all. Why is that? Router port is open and the linux firewall port is also open.

Thank you!

Regards,
Fred

[falko]

Originally Posted by fvonpinho

1- So you don't think it has to do with the DNS? I edit the host.conf file to add www.mydomain.com 192.168.1.2 and it works. The problem is that I can't do this with the windows machines that I have on the network, because many of them are laptops that need to access internet from other networks when people are travelling.

You could set up a BIND server with views inside your LAN: http://www.howtoforge.com/two_in_one_dns_bind9_views

Originally Posted by fvonpinho

2- I can receive email correctly now (still have the problem where I need to specify the IP if I am inside of my network and if I go outside of the network, I need to change it to the server1.mydomain.com), but can't send email. I did a telnet on port 25 and sent an email through SMTP commands and it worked fine. This was inside my network. Now if I am outside the network, with my laptop, I cannot telnet to port 25 at all. Why is that? Router port is open and the linux firewall port is also open.

Please make sure that your ISP doesn't block port 25.