If you're planning on running a site that will eventually host more than 5 domains, it is a good idea to consider running your own Domain Name Server or DNS. There are number of advantages to running you own DNS opposed to outsourcing DNS service.

• Running and managing a DNS server is very easy with SimpleDNS
  
• You can add as many zones (domains) as you want for free
  
• You can generate extra revenue by selling DNS service to other folks
  
• You will have a self reliant Internet server

The easiest and most reliable way to run a DNS server on Windows is to use SimpleDNS. SimpleDNS is available from JHsoft and costs around $149 for the "unlimited" version or $79 for the "25-Zone" version. The cost of the software goes down when you purchase an increased quantity. The difference between the two versions is that the "25-zone" version only allows you to handle 25 domain names (zones), both primary and secondary. The unlimited version, like it's name implies, hosts unlimited zones (domain names). More about secondary DNS later.

Personal Experience: When I first began this server in August of 2001, I purchased the "25-zone" version of SimpleDNS, I quickly realized the advantage of having "unlimited" zones when it came to Secondary NS exchange.

Secondary DNS/NS: When registering a domain name with someone like DirectNIC they require you to enter Primary & Secondary DNS/NS information (2 different servers). The reason for this goes back to the reason the Internet was constructed in the first place, to provide redundant, reliable means of communication.

In reality, you only need 1 DNS server hosting your DNS information, especially if it's on the same computer as your web server. If your DNS goes down, then your web server is down also, so there is no need to continue to direct users to your site via a secondary DNS server.

Still most domain name registrars (DirectNIC) like for you to have at least 2 DNS (sometimes called Name Servers) if not 4 or 6.

Secondary NS Exchange is a bulletin board of users (mainly using SimpleDNS) who trade Secondary Name Server information. In other words, I'll be your secondary if you been mine kind of thing. In my case, I have about 7 DNS servers listed as secondary DNS while I act as secondary service for 7 other servers all over the world.

The result is that when a new domain is entered into SimpleDNS, any secondary server is automatically updated with the new information. more about secondary NS later.

Lets take a look at SimpleDNS.

Download and install SimpleDNS from the JHsoft website http://www.jhsoft.com. To install the software, double click on the sdnsplus.exe.

Install SimpleDNS according to the instructions on screen leaving all options at their default value.

Once SimpleDNS is installed, open the application and under tools>options>general enter the name of your DNS server. The name of the DNS server will be the name we register as a Name Server with a registrar like DirectNIC. A typical Name Server name is ns1.your-domain.com and later if you decide to add a second DNS server, you can name it ns2.your-domain.com.

For the sake of this tutorial, name the server ns1.your-domain.com, replacing your-domain.com with the domain you purchased from DirectNIC.

Before we begin using the SimpleDNS server, we need to register our DNS server as a valid Name Server with our registrar DirectNIC. Log on to DirectNIC and enter the Domain Administration interface.

Then select the Change Name Server Information icon.

Next we need to create a NameServer by selecting the link highlighted in the image below.

Use "ns0" or replace "ns0" with the desired prefix to your DNS, then enter you WAN IP address (the IP of your DNS)

Then select "Create Nameserver" and your done. The next time you register a domain name with DirectNIC, for the primary nameserver you can now enter "ns1.your-domain.com" and you DNS will be the Authoratative DNS for the domain you registered.

Remember, before you register a domain name and act as the primary nameserver of a domain, you will need to acquire a secondary nameserver as a "slave" server. Check the Secondary NS Exchange for people looking to exchange DNS service.

From the main screen of Simple DNS Plus, click the "Records" button on the tool bar:

This opens the "DNS Records" dialog - from here click the "Quick Domain Wizard" button on the tool bar:

Now enter your domain name, and the IP addresses of any servers you will be using.
These are all optional, and can be added later if needed.
If two or more of these servers are running on the same computer, you just enter the same IP address.
Click "OK" to continue.

Now all the basic DNS records have been created.
You can add more records using the "New" button, or edit the records' properties simply by double clicking on each record.
When you close the DNS Records window, the DNS server is configured and ready to serve its first v

isitor.

First select "Network and Dial-Up Connections" under "Settings" in the Windows Start Menu:

Then right click on your Internet Network Connection and select "Properties" from the pop-up menu:

In the "Connection Properties" dialog, double click on the "Internet Protocol (TCP/IP)" component:

In the "Internet Protocol (TCP/IP) Properties" dialog, select "Use the following DNS server addresses", and enter the Internet IP address of your own computer as the "Preferred DNS Server":

Finally click "OK" both in the "Internet Protocol (TCP/IP) Properties" and "Connection Properties" dialogs to save your changes.