I have my web server set up locally.
I can type in my ip address and my web server (apache/php/mysql) works great.

I just went and registered a .com domain name.
When it asked for the name server part, I just typed in my current ip address.

I have road runner and I know this will change, but it is not a commercial setup or anything. Just to play around with. My ip will only change if I reset my cable modem, correct? If so, then optimistically I can have the same ip if I don't lose power???

My question is in DNS, which I don't understand all that much. Was I correct to use my ip address or should I have entered something else? I installed slackware -> added apache/mysql/php startup services and didn't really do anything else.

What do I need to do next??

If you have an IP that changes from time to time have a look at:
http://dyndns.org

well, i assuming you are trying to point your webserver IP address at the field of DNS, if so...the problem can be solved by using a DNS server! you need to keep your webserver IP address at that dns server. and next you have to place your DNS server IP address to your register control panel, like, ns1.example.com... ns2.example.com etc.

you didn't mention about ur webserver ip address .. is this internal or external ?

thank,

tusher.

follow the link, dyndns provides a dynamic name server, so basically you go to them and get an account, that assigns your domain name to your current IP address. If that IP changes you either change the IP by hand, or you can install a package that will update their name server automatically whenever your IP changes...

No, I dont believe that the DNS server was the right place to put your IP. I am setting up the same thing myself right now and i must say it is rather confusin. My domain came with 'LInk Forwarding' so I typed in my IP in the link forwarding field and now whenever someone goes to my downmain they are redirected into my server.

-LBB

YAAY, I think.

Ok, thanks for the leads. I found dnsexit.com, a dynamic dns service for free this morning and registered an account with them. So, here is my setup:

Dotster.com - Registered my domain name with them because I heard they had really good service and it was like $13.50 to do. (DNS management was $10/yr with them, why not get it free with dnsexit.com)

DNSExit.com - Registered an account with them. I entered in my domain name that I registered with Dotster and added an alias for www They listed two dns servers: dns1.dnsexit.com and dns2.dnsexit.com.

I went back to Dotster and signed in with my account. I found out that my ip address didn't work and the defaults were in there. I changed these to the 2 that dnsexit.com gave me and I think that all I need to do is wait?

I think I was getting confused when looking up google searches. There is LOCAL dns and GLOBAL dns, right? Apparently you can set up a LAN dns and have it resolve addresses that have local IPs. AND then there are the global dns servers. Root (A-M) dns servers - 10 are located in the US. I am trying to sort this out, here is what I have:

Root DNS (A-M servers)
|
.COM DNS Servers (Is this level for the ns1.dyndns.org and dns1.dnsexit.com servers? )
|
??? (OR would they fit in here somehow)
|
Road Runner's DNS (Does this exist?)
|
"My Computer"

So when I type in a domain name and it needs to be resolved, does it just travel up the tree until it finds an entry, then sends it back resolved? If a ip address changes and is entered into the dns1.dnsexit.com, how are the other dns servers updated? Does each DNS servers refresh the data like every hour or day or are the changes sent to the other servers waiting?
Also, what info does the registrar send when a domain is registered? Where does it send it to, the root server?

your site should be accessable by your ip address, if it's not it is going to be either you have a firewall blocking it or your isp is blocking it. If it's blocked then your domainname will not work either.

After that works you can use the domain name. You just need to setup your ip address and use their dns. It takes a while for all of the dns servers to update. If you use one of the other services then you need to follow their instructions.

you can test the dns like this

dig @dnsserver yourdomain

dnsserver will be the name or ip of the dns server you register with.

[david@zeus david]$ dig @ns0.directnic.com dcphillips.net

; <<>> DiG 9.2.1 <<>> @ns0.directnic.com dcphillips.net
;; global options: printcmd
;; Got answer:
;; ->>HEADER<<- opcode: QUERY, status: NOERROR, id: 65225
;; flags: qr aa rd; QUERY: 1, ANSWER: 1, AUTHORITY: 2, ADDITIONAL: 3

;; QUESTION SECTION:
;dcphillips.net. IN A

;; ANSWER SECTION:
dcphillips.net. 86400 IN A 68.63.15.139

;; AUTHORITY SECTION:
dcphillips.net. 86400 IN NS ns0.directnic.com.
dcphillips.net. 86400 IN NS ns1.directnic.com.

;; ADDITIONAL SECTION:
ns0.directnic.com. 86400 IN A 204.251.10.100
ns0.directnic.com. 86400 IN A 204.251.10.100
ns1.directnic.com. 86400 IN A 206.251.177.2

;; Query time: 141 msec
;; SERVER: 204.251.10.100#53(ns0.directnic.com)
;; WHEN: Thu Nov 20 19:46:34 2003
;; MSG SIZE rcvd: 145




The dns your using should update in just a few minutes, it will take several hoours before all other dns updates.