ClearFoundation

Hey Everyone,

I have read the posts that I have found about virtual domains, that being said I have set it up to be visible to the outside world.
I now am faced with the task of being able to view them on my lan.

My ClearOS is setup as standalone no firewall.

Cable modem/DHCP/router --> Comp 1,2 and Clear OS Server.

i have www3.mydomain.com ( main)
testing.mydomain.com (virtual)


I cannot access testing.mydomain.com even after editing my hosts on webconfig. from within my lan.

I know it is probably something really really simple but I cannot figure it out.

(P.S i have each computer pointing to my clear OS ip as its primary DNS)

Thank you for any help.

Alex

UPDATE: I modified the hosts file on my windows XP Computer and it works, but i would rather have an easier fix then having to go do that on all my computers.

I'd suggest pointing the computers to your router for DNS and see if that fixes the problem.

what happens when you 'ping testing.mydomain.com' or 'nslookup testing.mydomain.com' from a client - does it resolve correctly to your local IP?

Virtual hosts use named based redirection, so that the URL is passed by apache to determine which site to serve

when i use nslookup it shows my noip address that is directed to my computer since i have a dynamic IP address. and my Router is a piece of garbage from Rogers.

it tells me cannot find server name for address 192.168.0.x no response from server. but i have also edited the host config file on my xp computer and added 192.168.0.x testing.mydomain.com and that allows me access.

Ping gives me reply.

I have a major feeling that it is my SMC modem/router that is creating alot of the problems that I am having.

Alex

I recall running into some similar issues when I was setting up my COS box and a few sites. I wound up making the default/primary website a dummy name, and then all the websites I wanted to host as virtual sites. There was also some manual editing I had to do in Apache as I recall (but don't recall the details right now). I see you're using a DDNS service (I use one as well) and I had to configure the update client which is run on my COS box to periodically update each of the virtual hosts (sites). And again, I'd suspect you'd be better served to use the modem/router provided for your ISP as the DNS entry for your local machines (or some other third party DNS outside your network). Otherwise you're going to have to make some manual entries either on each computer or perhaps in the COS box. Just some thoughts - hope it helps a little. Also, I see Tim responding to you as well and he definitely has a wealth of knowledge - so he may have some other ideas for you too.

@ David

I am limited with my Router for DNS, I am with Rogers here in Canada and I bought my SMC SMC3DGN modem/router through them and even with the hidden congfig screen that Im not supposed to know about I cannot modify anything with regards to DNS.

is there an option to install on COS that will give me greater control over DNS? I dont mind having to modify my XP hosts config file since I am only using one computer, but on a bigger scale(say when I start installing COS in a production environment) I do not want to have the same issues to deal with.

but as I stated before I really do believe that Rogers in hindering my success. since all is accessible from the WAN but not the LAN.

Like most things network or computer related there is usually more than one way to accomplish an objective depending on the amount of equipment you want to deploy and particular constraints you might have (space, power, funds, etc).

Have you inquired with Rogers as to whether they would be willing to place their modem/router into bridge mode? If so then you could move your COS box between your computers and the ISP modem/router (your COS box would need 2 NIC's and you'd need a cheap switch between your COS box and the computers). This would allow you to use the COS box in Gateway mode and let it be your DNS and DHCP server. The COS box would use either your ISP's DNS servers in it's config or some other 3rd party DNS servers. This setup works with the other things I have previously said for hosting multiple websites behind a broadband connection with a static IP. When I wish to see or ping one of my websites from inside my LAN I input the URL of the site in question into my browser or terminal window.

correction to my previous post - works behind a broadband connection with a dynamic IP (although it'd work with a static one as well - you just wouldn't need a DDNS type service).

I cannot add another NIC to it since im using a Dell 1011 Mini netbook as my server with a 1.5TB external hard drive. I will eventually be looking at new hardware for my server, I can put my router/modem into bridge mode but i am left with only having one NIC.

I am looking at switching to an ISP that gives me 6 Static IP addresses and does not block any ports. anything i get from rogers is pure crap, they dont allow much when your on a residential connection but they want over 100 a month for a business account and that doesnt even include a static IP address.

I must say i am so impressed with COS i switched from Zentyal about 2 months ago and have never been happier with the exception of the virtual domains via LAN problem

Alex - understand about the single NIC issue. Is there a reason why you can't or don't want to use the Roger's router (or a 3rd party DNS server such as 8.8.4.4 - which is Google) for your primary DNS setting in your computers and COS Box?