Please help me find a good tutorial on DNS. I need one that utilises the system-config-bind tool and can set up MX records. I have a NoIP address: *.no-ip.org Is it possible to use DNS without subdomains?

Yes, but I'm unsure as to how. I remember it was required for me to research it at one point but we opted to change solutions. This site should have everything you need.

http://www.dyndns.com/

if that doesn't work try out

http://easydns.com/

System-config-bind is not a widely supported thing. It was developed by the redhat people as a GUI interface to configure BIND. It has also been copied to Gentoo, but I think that is it. You usually won't find a resource that deals with it, except those put out by redhat. There are plenty of BIND tutorials on the internet, but they deal directly with the named.conf file that runs BIND, not a GUI app to configure it.

If you use google, you'll find plenty of example named.conf files that can help you figure things out. All MX records have a preference number associated with them, and the lower the number, the higher the priority is set to use that server. So if you have 2 mail servers, one with a priority of 5 and the other with a priority of 20, the one with the 5 will be tried first. If that fails to be reached, then it will try the one with 20.

DNS would be possible but tricky to use without subdomains. If you have a domain, say example.org, chances are very good that your mail server will be something like mail.example.org, or smtp.example.org. You could direct the mail to another domain name, like purpose.com, but doing something like that to avoid doing a subdomain seems foolish.

Running your own no-ip.org address will require that you move up to one of the non-free plans. I don't know offhand if they'll allow you to run your own no-ip subdomain, but maybe they will. If you're going to run your own DNS server, then you can ditch the no-ip address, and buy your own proper domain name.

For guides, just google, there are thousands of tutorials on BIND throughout the net. If you need a physical book, there is one called the bible but most of the DNS experts. Here's a link to it from the American amazon page -
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/059...632795-9036647

Peace,
JimBass

What exactly are you trying to do with the server and no-ip.org?

I run a qmail/apache/ftp server at home on a dynamic IP Cable-Modem account. I use a no-ip domain name (two actually) and can access my server through the Internet 24/7. Is that what you are wanting, or are you having trouble with spam filtering and such not allowing your mail to be delivered to remote recipients?

Deion "Mule" Christopher

Ok. Let me straighten things out. I have a free no-ip address. I also have a server set up, which can handle http, ftp, smtp, pop3, telnet, vnc and all sorts of things. The thing is...I can connect to each of them through that very no-ip domain. No pop.*.no-ip.org or smtp.*.no-ip.org..just *.no-ip.org....is this normal? Btw, I am not running a dns server on my server. I'm guessing NoIP has its own dns server, right?...This dns stuff is weird . I am currently using a "smart host" to send outgoing mail. I want to be able to send it using my own machine!

Of course you can connect using the no-ip.org domain. All DNS does is put a number to a name. You can have any name resolve to any IP, as long as you own the domain (or if the owner allows you to use it, as is the case with no-ip.org).

Yes, no-ip.org runs their own DNS. If they didn't, you wouldn't be able to reach your machine by the name whatever.no-ip.org. Specifically, they run a ddns server, or dynamic dns server. What makes it special is it handles the fact that your IP address can change. That is something a "normal" DNS server doesn't do for public domains. It can be done, it just normally isn't.

The smart host situation has nothing to do with DNS. If your ISP allows you to connect to your machine at port 25, and to send outgoing mail from port 25 (the normal smtp port), then you don't need a smart host. Many ISPs don't allow that anymore, in an attempt to cut down on spam. You'd have to talk to them about that, send an email to their tech support, or check their webpage.

By the way, it turns out your question had nothing to do with DNS. Next time, please post the problem up front, like, "how can I send email without a smart host," instead of asking how DNS works. Not that knowing DNS is bad at all, but it is like asking about literature when your question involves mathematics.

Peace,
JimBass