help to better undersand FQDN, DNS, local domain

[dominatorstang]

I am trying to better configure my network and better utilize DNS. The more I try to do this, the more I think my thinking is a bit off with it.

All my devices use a subnet mask of 255.255.252.0
My DHCP pool is 192.168.2.20-100
services hosted on 192.168.0.x and 192.168.1.x
cameras on 192.168.3.x
I setup on the router for domain as "mydomain.com" and router is named "router"
I am able to access my router at router.mydomain.com

Now I also did the same for other devices and services I have on the network, but in general the static IP devices do no work properly for me using this method.
Then on a windows PC it does not allow you to just use a name on the domain, it wants to join and then I seen the advanced ipv4 settings to put the suffix too, but not sure that is what I am needing either. Am I doing this right? lol
Also just to make sure I understand the subnet mask. With all devices having 255.255.252.0 mask, allows any device from 192.168.0.x-192.168.3.x can communicate with each other across a layer2 switch even if the gateway/router is down.

 

[ColinTaylor]

Now I also did the same for other devices and services I have on the network, but in general the static IP devices do no work properly for me using this method.

Your description of the problem is too vague. "do no work properly"? Be aware that generally any devices you've configured statically will not have their host names registered in the router's DNS server. Therefore other devices on the LAN won't be able to resolve those host names via a DNS lookup. This is why you want to avoid using static configurations as much as possible.

Then on a windows PC it does not allow you to just use a name on the domain, it wants to join...

You're in the wrong place. You do not want to join a domain. That's for networks running a Microsoft Domain Controller.

and then I seen the advanced ipv4 settings to put the suffix too, but not sure that is what I am needing either.

For static configurations this is where you specify the LAN domain name.

Also just to make sure I understand the subnet mask. With all devices having 255.255.252.0 mask, allows any device from 192.168.0.x-192.168.3.x can communicate with each other across a layer2 switch even if the gateway/router is down.

Correct.

 

[dominatorstang]

Thank you ColinTaylor. I guess that is part of the pros and cons of static IP's then. I like static since it can work standalone too, but I guess it would not be standalone if something must provide DNSanyway. Not to mention the client storing the DNS. Choices choices.

 

[ColinTaylor]

I only use static assignments for infrastructure devices that I want to work independently of the router, e.g. critical servers, switches, etc. Everything else is DHCP (why make life hard for yourself ).

However, for those few static devices I also manually create an entry for them in my (router's) DNS server. There's not a separate menu specifically for DNS host names, but you can use the DHCP "manually assigned" page to do the same thing. Sure, the client isn't DHCP but that doesn't matter. In fact you don't even need to use the host's MAC address, you can use a dummy address of say 00:00:00:00:00:00.


N.B. This is assuming you're using Merlin's firmware.

 

[dominatorstang]

I like that idea and will probably be copying it . The other small complaint on doing it at the router side is to do a clean reset on the router at times and not import the config makes it a length process to add all those IP's back in. Having an import/export for that list would be nice, but I guess I could find it in winSCP and get the same type of result.

Now the other part that I am a bit unclear on. FQDN.

I am hosting some services over the WAN with lets say dominatorstang.com domain. So if I want to access my nextcloud then I should probably use nextcloud host name on the service which makes it nextcloud.dominatorstang.com on the LAN and WAN to have a FQDN. They basically need to be called the same in my local network as they are when coming in over the WAN to be a FQDN? Mostly has to do with SSL certificates too?

 

[ColinTaylor]

I like that idea and will probably be copying it . The other small complaint on doing it at the router side is to do a clean reset on the router at times and not import the config makes it a length process to add all those IP's back in. Having an import/export for that list would be nice, but I guess I could find it in winSCP and get the same type of result.

Yes, you can easily backup those definitions via SSH.

I am hosting some services over the WAN with lets say dominatorstang.com domain. So if I want to access my nextcloud then I should probably use nextcloud host name on the service which makes it nextcloud.dominatorstang.com on the LAN and WAN to have a FQDN. They basically need to be called the same in my local network as they are when coming in over the WAN to be a FQDN? Mostly has to do with SSL certificates too?

Sorry, not really my area of knowledge. IIRC most people have to run some sort of proxy server (nginx?) on the router otherwise it won't understand what it's meant to do with the incoming traffic.

 

[jea101]

You should not be using a .com name unless it is registered to you.
You should use a reserved name such as .test

Reserved Top Level Domain Names

The Internet Domain Name System (DNS) defines a tree of names starting with root,

www.ietf.org

 

[dominatorstang]

You should not be using a .com name unless it is registered to you.
You should use a reserved name such as .test

Reserved Top Level Domain Names

The Internet Domain Name System (DNS) defines a tree of names starting with root,

www.ietf.org

Well, I do have the .com domain registered to me, but I am using TMobile internet that I can not host out directly from so I have the DNS point to my VPS and then it tunnels into my network. I figure that makes it a bit odd, but still right to use the domain I have registered for my local network?