BIND -- can't register nameserver

I am running Debian Linux on a Dell Dimension 4100 desktop. This host
is named "jupiter", and is connected by Ethernet cable to the Internet
through a Dell Truemobile 2300 Broadband Router (which does NAT) and
from there to a proprietary cable modem furnished by RCN (my ISP).

I have a static IP address (207.237.37.110) from RCN, and the router
is configured to always assign the IP address 192.168.2.2 to the host
running BIND. Port forwarding is configured to forward all DNS
traffic to 207.237.37.110 to the 192.168.2.2 host where BIND is
running.

I registered the domain "obliqueuniverse.org" with lunarpages.com
(which is a reseller for OpenSRS Reseller Services (opensrs.net).

I am building an Internet server on "jupiter" (which is configured as
"jupiter.obliqueuniverse.org". When I try to add
jupiter.obliqueuniverse.org under "Manage Name Servers" at
https://manage.opensrs.net, the nameserver is rejected with the
following advisory:

"Unable to update nameservers:
Nameserver <jupiter.obliqueuniverse.org> doesn't exist at the
registry."

Although domain management is done through the OpenSRS web interface,
OpenSRS disclaims all responsibility for any problems and questions.
You can't get a live person on the phone. I consulted with tech
support at Lunarpages, where I was told:

1. They could *not* tell me how to *register* my nameserver
2. I must be running a *dedicated* nameserver
3. The nameserver's name must have the format: ns1.somedomaine

According to http://tldp.org/HOWTO/DNS-HOWTO-5.html:

"'ns' is a customary name for name-servers, but as with web servers
who are customarily named www.something. The name may be anything."

I have carefully read the relevant parts of "DNS & BIND" (O'Reilly),
Linux System Administration (O'Reilly) but there is no hint that
nameserver registration could be seriously problematic. I see in the
archives of this discussion group that the problem has come up, and
that inquiries should be directed to the registrar of the domain name,
which is what I've done.

I would very glad to hear any thoughts about how to proceed.

Thanks & Best Regards,

Vwaju
New York City

On Oct 29, 3:23*pm, Vwaju <l...@manhattanhandyman.com> wrote:

> I registered the domain "obliqueuniverse.org" with lunarpages.com
> (which is a reseller for OpenSRS Reseller Services (opensrs.net).

Okay.

> I am building an Internet server on "jupiter" (which is configured as
> "jupiter.obliqueuniverse.org". *When I try to add
> jupiter.obliqueuniverse.org under "Manage Name Servers" at
> https://manage.opensrs.net, the nameserver is rejected with the
> following advisory:
>
> "Unable to update nameservers:
> Nameserver <jupiter.obliqueuniverse.org> doesn't exist at the
> registry."

This means that you must register jupter.obligqueuniverse.org as a
nameserver in the registry before you can list it as a nameserver for
a domain. This is done to prevent loops and unresolvable dependencies.
Walk the pages and you should be able to find a screen to register a
nameserver inside the domain. You can then register it as the
nameserver for the domain.

> Although domain management is done through the OpenSRS web interface,
> OpenSRS disclaims all responsibility for any problems and questions.
> You can't get a live person on the phone. *I consulted with tech
> support at Lunarpages, where I was told:
>
> 1. *They could *not* tell me how to *register* my nameserver

There should be a page to register a nameserver inside a domain. Once
that's done, you should be able to register that nameserver as the
nameserver for that, or any, domain.

> 2. *I must be running a *dedicated* nameserver
> 3. *The nameserver's name must have the format: ns1.somedomaine

Nonsense. I don't know why they told you those things.

DS

On Oct 30, 6:26*am, David Schwartz <dav...@webmaster.com> wrote:
> On Oct 29, 3:23*pm, Vwaju <l...@manhattanhandyman.com> wrote:
>

> > "Unable to update nameservers:
> > Nameserver <jupiter.obliqueuniverse.org> doesn't exist at the
> > registry."
>
> This means that you must register jupter.obligqueuniverse.org as a
> nameserver in the registry before you can list it as a nameserver for
> a domain. This is done to prevent loops and unresolvable dependencies.
> Walk the pages and you should be able to find a screen to register a
> nameserver inside the domain. You can then register it as the
> nameserver for the domain.
>
> > Although domain management is done through the OpenSRS web interface,
> > OpenSRS disclaims all responsibility for any problems and questions.
> > You can't get a live person on the phone. *I consulted with tech
> > support at Lunarpages, where I was told:
>
> > 1. *They could *not* tell me how to *register* my nameserver
>
> There should be a page to register a nameserver inside a domain. Once
> that's done, you should be able to register that nameserver as the
> nameserver for that, or any, domain.
>
> > 2. *I must be running a *dedicated* nameserver
> > 3. *The nameserver's name must have the format: ns1.somedomaine
>
> Nonsense. I don't know why they told you those things.
>
> DS

Hi, David --

Yes, you are right.

There is link below the fold on the "Manage Nameservers" page that
says:

"If you want to create or modify a nameserver which is based on
obliqueuniverse.org click here."

I should have seen this (but it didn't help that 2 different tech
support guys at Lunarpages gave me the same bum steer).

Here is a follow-up question, which I'm hoping you can clarify for me:

Here are 2 advisories on the "Manage Nameservers" page:

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
"24 - 48 hours after you submit a request for an additional name
server, it will be in the rotation for authoritative lookups..."

"The order of the nameservers is not relevant."
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

I have configured BIND to make the nameserver running on
jupiter.obliqueuniverse.org "type master" for obliqueuniverse.org, and
the primary zone file lists jupiter.obliqueuniverse.org as SOA. . I
don't have another host to run a slave server, so apparently I must
use one of my ISP's nameserver's as backup server. The above advisory
states that *all* the servers that I list are authoritative and are
used "in rotation". But it seems that this would require that my
ISP's nameserver (my backup) would have to be configured as slave for
my zone.

Is this correct?

Many thanks to you (and to you, Maxwell) for taking time to bring me
up to speed!

Best Regards,

Vwaju
New York City

On Oct 30, 7:36*am, Vwaju <l...@manhattanhandyman.com> wrote:

> - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
> "24 - 48 hours after you submit a request for an additional name
> server, it will be in the rotation for authoritative lookups..."

Note that this is kind part order of magnitude, part worst case to
keep you from complaining when nothing is wrong.

> "The order of the nameservers is not relevant."

Right, because almost everything sorts them anyway.

> - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
>
> I have configured BIND to make the nameserver running on
> jupiter.obliqueuniverse.org "type master" for obliqueuniverse.org, and
> the primary zone file lists jupiter.obliqueuniverse.org as SOA. *. I
> don't have another host to run a slave server, so apparently I must
> use one of my ISP's nameserver's as backup server. *The above advisory
> states that *all* the servers that I list are authoritative and are
> used "in rotation". *But it seems that this would require that my
> ISP's nameserver (my backup) would have to be configured as slave for
> my zone.

Yes, you should definitely arrange with your ISP to configure several
of their nameservers as slaves for your zone. You should also add NS
records for those nameservers as soon as they're set up.

> Is this correct?

Yep.

> Many thanks to you (and to you, Maxwell) for taking time to bring me
> up to speed!

You're welcome.

DS