DNS Server Question

[SteveP2]

I have an Actiontec router that is my primary router, and where my broadband connection is. Behind this I have a second Actiontec that is connected via a MoCA extension in my bedroom and a Netgear router that is connected to the primary via wired ethernet. The Netgear is handling wireless only.

At present the two routers behind the primary router have no DNS server configured. I would like to make the primary router the defacto DNS server. Is it just as easy as pointing the two routers behind the primary to it, or is there more to this. Second the primary router's Network (Home/Office) section is not pointing to any DNS server. Do I just point this section to the IP of the primary also?

Last but not least I would like to resolve the names I gave my routers to their IPs. The problem I see is that the primary router cannot have a DNS entry for itself. Is there anyway to get around this?

Thanks,

Steve

[viafax999]

Make the dns servers for all the other routers the primary router address, presumably 192.168.1.1

If you want to give the primary a name that can be referenced by internal devices add a host file entry to the devices that need it.

The HOSTS file can be found at

%systemroot%\system32\drivers\etc

The hosts file can be opened and modified using notepad

Ah, post number 1000 - a milestone I guess

[Anti-Phish1 · Accepted solution]

If the second Actiontec is functioning as a MOCA bridge, it is NOT functioning as a router and it's DHCP server must be disabled.  Therefore, it is NOT supplying DNS addresses.

Whether the Netgear is functioning as a router depends on whether it is connected to the primary LAN-to-WAN or LAN-to-LAN.

If configured LAN-to-LAN, then the Netgear is functioning only as a WAP and not as a router and it's DHCP server should also be DISABLED. 

Your primary Actiontec should be the only one of the three with DHCP server enabled.  It will then be the only source of DNS addresses.