Dynamic DNS Host Name Registrations

When your computer running Windows 2000 belongs to a Domain Name Server zone (for example, test.companyname.com) with a name that is different from the Microsoft Active Directory (AD) domain name (for example, companyname.com), the computer joins both domains during startup. In this case, two dynamic DNS name registrations are created for a single host.

This behavior occurs by default as every host registers one name in DNS, which is hostname.PrimaryDNSSuffix. Also by default, the PrimaryDNSSuffix is the name of the AD domain to which the computer is joined. To view the PrimaryDNSSuffix name, type "ipconfig /all", and then press ENTER at a command prompt.

So for a computer belonging to a DNS zone (for example, test.companyname.com) that has a name different from the AD domain name (for example, companyname.com) to which the computer is joined, the Domain Name Server zone file is always registered in the Domain Name Server zone because this is the computer´s PrimaryDNSSuffix by default.

If you need the computer to register temporarily in a Domain Name Server child domain (for example, you travel to a different location of your company and like to register on the local network), you need to select the "Use this connection´s DNS suffix in DNS registration" option in the computer´s Domain Name Server TCP/IP settings.

ATTENTION: Please be aware that this change in settings registers the host name twice; once in your AD zone file (for example, companyname.com) and once in the subdomain´s zone file (for example, test.companyname.com).

If the computer is to register it´s host name only in the Domain Name Server subdomain zone (for example, test.companyname.com), you need to change the PrimaryDNSSuffix of this computer.

To change the computer's PrimaryDNSSuffix:

1. Click the Start button, point to Settings, click Control Panel, and then double-click System.
2. Click the Network identification tab, click Properties, and then click More. Type the new domain or subdomain for this computer in the Primary DNS suffix for this computer box, click OK, click OK, and then click OK.

Registration Examples

If a computer is configured with the following settings, the computer dynamically registers a Domain Name Server zone file only for the parent domain:

• The "Primary DNS suffix for this computer" setting is set to domainname.
• The "DNS suffix for this Connection" setting is set to child-domain.domainname.
• The "Register this connection´s addresses in DNS" setting is enabled.

If a computer is configured with the following settings, the computer dynamically registers in both the parent and child Domain Name Server zone files:

• The "Primary DNS suffix for this computer" setting is set to domainname.
• The "DNS suffix for this Connection" setting is set to child-domain.domainname.
• The "Register this connection´s addresses in DNS" setting is enabled.
• The "Use this connection´s DNS suffix in DNS registration" setting is enabled.

If a computer is configured with the following settings, the computer dynamically registers a Domain Name Server zone file only for the child domain:

• The "Primary DNS suffix for this computer" setting is set to child-domain.domainname.
• The "DNS suffix for this Connection" setting is set to child-domain.domainname.
• The "Register this connection´s addresses in DNS" setting is enabled.