How to setup DNS correctly

Question

Dear all,
I'm trying to setup my first macmini-server correctly so that i can access files and ical chances of my coworkers when I'm on the road. After reading many posting I now it is important to set up the DNS correctly, as many things depend on this.
Still I get this messages in the "Next Step"-pdf after the installation:
http://dl.dropbox.com/u/427417/dns%20configruation.jpg
This is my DNS-setup:
- I have one static IP: 80.xxx.xxx.222
- I made a A-Typ entry at my Domain-Registrar: miniserver.example.com => 80.xxx.xxx.222
- My ISP made a PTR Entry in his DNS-Servers: 80.xxx.xxx.222 => miniserver.example.com
Both are working when I test it with: http://www.mxtoolbox.com/
And this is my hardware-setup:
Modem => linksys 160N-Router with public IP 80.xxx.xxx.222 =>switch => 4 Macs and my macminiserver with a fixed internal IP (192.168.1.133 made with DHCP-Reservation on the Linksys Router). FTP-Portforwarding to 192.168.1.133
What confuses me is the fact, that I can turn on FTP on the miniserver and access it from outside with a ftp-client using "miniserver.example.com" as the server name. For me this working FTP-connection looks like I have setup the Public IP/DNS things right? But why I still get the is message in "next Step"
I'm glad about any reply which helps me to understand the this.
Dietmar
Message was edited by: dietmar
Message was edited by: dietmar

Answer 1

Dear MrHoffman
Thank you for your answer. It looks like in your answer is everything I need to now. But as I'm not a professional I only understand your recommendations partially. Here are my thoughts about it:
MrHoffman wrote:
You'll usually want an external static IP and an external DNS domain that gets you to your firewall device, and then you implement a VPN at the firewall to connect to your LAN. The external DNS is (or static IP) is how you get connected to your firewall.
I do have a external static IP: 80.xxx.xxx.222 and DNS domain: miniserver.example.com which both gets me to my firewall (within the linksys router). So I think I've got this part right?
Within your LAN, here's [getting DNS going|http://labs.hoffmanlabs.com/node/1436]; but that's LAN-local stuff and useful for getting around once you have the VPN connected. You probably don't want to be serving public DNS; leave that to your ISP.
And yes, Mac OS X Server does really want to have DNS for itself either running locally on the box or within other DNS server(s) in your environment, and that usually then gets extended to running DNS for the rest of your LAN.
Setting up DNS on the Macmini Server for my local LAN will be my next task, but as this would be a to long post I would like to ask you in a extra post about this. As I understand from your answer, I do server public DNS at the moment, also I did not intend this !!!
I generally encourage using an [external firewall-based VPN|http://labs.hoffmanlabs.com/node/275], as that approach simplifies the requirements here and particularly when you're using NAT as is typical. You VPN to the firewall, then the connection works like you're on the LAN.
My linksys router supports VPN-Passthrough and server-admin has the VPN-Service. Will this two do what you are recommanding me. I know I have to read into VPN first, before digging questions into others.
[ftp is nasty|http://labs.hoffmanlabs.com/node/530] in several dimensions (your credentials are exposed in cleartext, and it requires a fancy firewall or the ephemeral port range to be opened on one of the intervening firewall), and usually best avoided during debugging. ftp is older than the internet, and largely incompatible with firewalls. VPNs or sftp is usually a better approach (and because you can use certificates or such, you can reduce your exposure to brute-force password attacks or password sniffing), save for anonymous ftp access or file drops, and only get around to setting up ftp once you get the rest of your network working here.
FTP was only for testing, as I thought it is a simple way to test access to my server.
As for your confusion, in your zone-level settings, you have the name server referring to the name server itself as its forwarding entries; this definitely won't work. Look at my notes and specifically look for the details on setting up the forwarding entry for the zone. This is the zone-level display (your http://dl.dropbox.com/u/427417/dns1.png) and the nameserver: field. That needs to be your upstream DNS provider.
As written before, Local-DNS is the next thing to do/learn for me. But I have to leave for now to support a friend with his Mac thank you for your answers
Dietmar
here are my screenshot when setting up the mac osx server:
http://dl.dropbox.com/u/427417/networkname.jpg
http://dl.dropbox.com/u/427417/Hostname.jpg
Did I made something wrong here?
Is the field "Primary DNS Name" for local or public DNS ?? I thought it is for public: miniserver.example.com