Automatically get nameservers

[David Kelly]

On Tue, Jan 09, 2007 at 05:23:07PM +0100, Oliver Fromme wrote:
> David Kelly wrote:
>  > But for the Windows machines to "get the nameservers automatically" one
>  > has to set up DHCP somewhere. On the FreeBSD machine. Or on a SOHO
>  > router. Somewhere.
> 
> No, the FreeBSD machine (which acts as a PPPoE client)
> already receives the addresses of the name servers via
> the PPP protocol.  There's really no need for DHCP.
> 
> I have exactly that setup at home, and I definitely do
> not use DHCP.

Yes, the FreeBSD machine can get *its* nameserver addresses from the
upstream connection via PPPoE. But the original poster asked how could
his Windows machines connected thru the FreeBSD machine *automatically*
get nameservice.

Some have suggested configuring the FreeBSD machine as a caching
nameserver. That is an option, but the Windows machines still do not
*automatically* know who to use for nameservice. Also its a bit harder
for the caching nameserver to be updated when/if PPPoE changes the
nameservice addresses. This is something SOHO routers do fairly easily,
altho most simply pass the same addresses they are given. Some will act
as a nameserver, possibly caching.

Once again I repeat, for the Windows machines to automatically get
nameserver addresses someone has to be running a DHCP server. Otherwise
someone has to type the addresses into a dialog box on each Windows
machine.

-- 
David Kelly N4HHE, dkelly at HiWAAY.net
========================================================================
Whom computers would destroy, they must first drive mad.