dns question, 1 computer...

[bronco31]

sometimes im successful sometimes im not...
i'll often want to set up scan-to-SMB using the destination PCs hostname as the target to send the scan to....but if its a small office with only a router and one or two workstations and no true AD running, what/where/how does the MFP resolve the hostname?
(i usually type in the router IP as the DNS in the MFP config)
im hazy on the flow here... how can a MFP look up a hostname to IP pairing when theres no DNS server?
Windows 7 workstations seem to be even more troublesome..
thanks for any direction..
goodnight all !

frank

[blaze2000]

Re: dns question, 1 computer...

Well very basically, DNS is provided by an ISP, router or server. Depends on how the network is setup, there are many, many variables that can make every office just a little different. Your best bet is to bring up the command prompt and enter "ipconfig -all" without quotes, this will show you among many other network settings the DNS server address. Even armed with the correct address, remember that things may not be configured quite right and it wont' play nice with the MFP... Or the DNS server will refuse to talk to the MFP due to potential attack. Soooo, bottom line? cmd ipconfig -all to get dns address. If you feel dns isn't working just use IP addresses, if things work than it's a DNS issue.

[rthonpm]

Re: dns question, 1 computer...

If the setup is like a small home office, which it sounds like, then the router is also working as the local DNS, DHCP, and NAT server. The routing tables it builds over time let it know where all of the local devices in the network are. Often, the workstations will use the router as their first DNS server. The router itself is going to pull the ISP's DNS servers for its use, as all it needs to worry about is local traffic for the most part. Often in these scenarios, it's also good to make sure that all of the workstations and other devices are all set to the same Workgroup as this also makes finding other devices a little easier.

Windows 7 often poses an issue because of the higher encryption standards required by NTLMv2. Unless the workstations are configured to accept connections from the older NTLMv1, they just filtre out the responses and don't reply. For MFP's, often a firmware update will resolve the issue.

[bronco31]

Re: dns question, 1 computer...

yes i see by running "IPconfig /all" on the computer that the DNS is set for the router IP ( which is of course also the default gateway)

but the router itself is not a DNS server.. i think the DNS request from a PC is simply forwarded to the router and it forwards it to the ISP DNS.. all for resolving Internet outside "hostnames" like www.sony.com"

Internet DNS servers arent going to know what IP address an inside LAN PC is ...

i can get this particular Konica to scan using the workstations IP address.. so i know its not a NTLM issue... i'd like to use the Hostname as the PC is on DHCP and its IP could change later...

how does a MFP learn the IP address of a PC in a serverless network? is there another Windows mechanism for IP/Hostname resolving that can be enabled ?

[rthonpm]

Re: dns question, 1 computer...

Routers can function as a DNS server inside their own network. All a router does is take data that is submitted on its network and determine whether it is for an internal or external system. The only configuration change you should need to make is to give the router thorugh its web page an internal 'domain' name: say 'company.local'. That way it will append that domain name on all internal devices. So long as you then configure the device to use the same domain name, you have a pseudo-domain within a workgroup environment.

[Jules Winfield]

Re: dns question, 1 computer...

Since it's only 1 PC you're dealing with you may just want to edit the hosts file (found in C:\Windows\System32\drivers\etc). Open the file with a text editor and add the IP/host name mapping for the MFP manually. The file itself will show examples of how to edit the file.

[bronco31]

Re: dns question, 1 computer...

still hazy but OK... i got it to work by setting the workstation to a static IP address and set the MFP to point to that IP...

editing the HOSTS file is an interesting idea..
im just lost on the mechanism within the MFP... lets say there was no router.. just the copier and a PC... if it needs to send a PDF to a computer name..it first must resolve that name to an IP address, so it sends out a DNS request right? .... like "Who is Jennifer-PC"? and then a response would return saying "Jennifer-PC is 192,168,123,5" hmmmm.. im going to guess its got something to do with the HOSTS file.. its all FM ! im goin to sleep!

[blaze2000]

Re: dns question, 1 computer...

You can't really connect a mfp directly to a PC using network interfaces. You can use a crossover cable to connect but then no dns as the mfp doesn't run dns nor does windows (unless your running a server version) natively.... furthermore you try using IIS or another software based dns solution but if you have just one pc and one mfp connected through a crossover, the need for dns is pretty much nonexistant.

OK, here is a great rundown on dns (I think its great anyway)... maybe this will help...

http://cr.yp.to/djbdns/intro-dns.html

[bronco31]

Re: dns question, 1 computer...

cool thanks.. iread thru that... but that has to do with the Internet DNS system... but its inside the LAN with no Windows server or Active Directory that throws me.. i often am unable to use the hostname as the target for the scan.. of course the IP address always works.

and when we see our routers IP is the DNS entry in IPCONFIG /ALL on the workstation (like 192.168.1.1) i think that only means for the PC to forward Internet DNS requests. (ex. Sony USA - Consumer Electronics Products, Movies, Music, Games and Services)

not inside name resolution... !

[blaze2000]

Re: dns question, 1 computer...

cool thanks.. iread thru that... but that has to do with the Internet DNS system... but its inside the LAN with no Windows server or Active Directory that throws me.. i often am unable to use the hostname as the target for the scan.. of course the IP address always works.

and when we see our routers IP is the DNS entry in IPCONFIG /ALL on the workstation (like 192.168.1.1) i think that only means for the PC to forward Internet DNS requests. (ex. Sony USA - Consumer Electronics Products, Movies, Music, Games and Services)

not inside name resolution... !

No, 192.168.1.1 is internal and the router is providing dns for your internal neywork... if you log into the router you wil see address settings for your isp that differ from your local/ internal network