Need help with server and DNS

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Mezmorki

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Sep 13, 2015
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Hello all.

I am attempting to host a game server from home on one of my extra computers. I have a cable modem connected to a netgear route + wireless gateway combo running DD-WRT firmware. From there I have a small switch with my server and other computers connected.

The server is running WinXP. The game server works fine and both LAN clients and external/remote clients can connect to the game server by entering my IP address directly (internal IP for LAN clients or external WAN IP for remote clients).

I have a DDNS name from freedns.afriad.org (13acres.pwnz.org) and my router is configured correctly to update the DNS dynamically.

However, I CANNOT connect to my server using the DNS name (13acres.pwnz.org). I can ping the DNS name and I get a response, so I think it is at least making it to the router (or cable modem?). However the hostname can't be resolved. Using a DNS check utility on the web reports various errors I don't know what to do with.

Basically I am at loss for what else I need to do to get the DNS name routed correctly to the server. Do I need to mess with other DNS settings in the router or somehow forward the DNS to the server computer's internal IP address? Are there network adapter settings on the server computer that I need to set (DNS name? Hostname? Hostfiles?).

My network knowledge dries up right about here, so any help to get this working would be tremendously appreciated.

Thank you!

 
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Mezmorki

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Sep 13, 2015
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I also have a DDNS from a fellow gamer at 13acres.runequake.com - which behaves in the same exact way.

Basically, if the DNS services is pointing to my WAN IP - what else other than opening my server ports do I need to do on my end to get it to work?
 
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kanewolf

kanewolf

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I don't know how these obscure DDNS entities are playing with your primary DNS. It is possible that your primary DNS doesn't consider the sources to be authoritative. Your primary DNS still has to know what secondary DNS server is providing the resolution. Basically it is a game of next hop. ".com" resolves to some server -- That server knows that "runquake" is hosted by some server. That server has to know that "13acres" resolves to your IP address.

IF people can get to you via an IP address, then it is a DDNS problem.
 
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Mezmorki

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Sep 13, 2015
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But if it was only a DNS problem not routing to my IP, why can I ping using the DNS name? Pinging 13acres.runeqhake.com works and returns my WAN address correctly.

Doesn't there need to be something on my side to tell external clients which computer on my network to route 13acres.runequake.com traffic to? Or is that only a consequence of which ports are open and which ports the client is accessing? That seems to be working, because again remote clients can connect to the game server just fine by typing in the IP address.
 
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kanewolf

kanewolf

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Maybe I misinterpreted your "ports are open" statement. Your router should port forward to a specific LAN IP address. But again, you say it works if remote people use an IP address not a URL. If that really is the case then there is a DNS or DDNS problem somewhere.
 
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Mezmorki

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Sep 13, 2015
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Yes, clients connect with specifying a port as well, which is forwarded correctly in the router (as a connect by ip works fine).

Sounds like it is a DNS issue then somehow. I'll follow up with the respective groups on that.
 
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kanewolf

kanewolf

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Even with a URL, they would specify a port as part of the URL.
 
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Mezmorki

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Sep 13, 2015
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So I've narrowed down the source of the problem: my router.

I can ping, nslook, and even query my server through either DNS name, I just can't connect to it as a client. If I plug the server directly into the cable modem, external clients can connect correctly using the DNS name. So either my router is just screwed up or there is some obscure setting/issue at work that isn't properly redirecting clients to the server. I tried putting the server in a DMZ via the router and that didn't work either. Going to test out some different routers unless anyone has a brilliant idea for why the connection won't resolve.
 
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