What are search domains/DNS suffix and how do I configure them?

Question

On any ios device, i notice that there is a search domain field and in my school's network, their domain is in the Search Domains field. I have always wondered what it was for. I have registered my own domain. How would i configure my network so that the Search Domain would be my domain name (or a hostname). I also know that the Search Domain is also called DNS suffix because thats what shows up in CMD when I run the ipconfig command. Is it a setting on the router? I have a comsumer-grade router, so it may not be possible for me, but I would like to know how it could be done.

Note: I know i can just type in the search domains field. But i want it to be automatic when a device connects to the network.

Thanks for any help.

Answer 1

You don't own a DNS Suffix



Even if you had or once you get your FQDN you still wont have a DNS Suffix.



Now if you Create your OWN LAN... then you can create your own Local / Private DNS Suffix.



Search Domain is not also called a DNS Suffix... actually you just made up that term.



A Search Domain would just be a Whois Lookup



If you use FQDN that's for Public connections... and all FQDN are added to Public DNS servers... All Public DNS servers are connected together or Interconnected together.... so a FQDN created in China... would also be updated in America...



mydomain.com <----- Domain

mydns.mydomain.com <-------- DNS for my Domain Private Domain



Search Computers, Users, Locations (Privately) on my domain of = mydns.mydomain.com



This is for Private Networks ONLY!

Answer 2

Search domains are local. Some people are very lazy, they want to put "mail" in for mail.mydomain.com.



The search domain would be mydomain.com, and if a user put in mail, it searches and finds it by selectively prepending the name. If there is no match, then it takes off the left most part of the search domain and tries again.



If you design things right, it could be beneficial. Suppose we had a internal SMTP server in ireland and one in the us. The search domain in Ireleand would be ireland.mydomain.com. The one in the us, us.mydomain.com.



If a Irish user comes to the US, his computer could just use the reference to "smtp" and let the search domain fill in the rest. Instead of using smtp.ireland.mydomain.com, it would use smtp.us.mydomain.com, and thereby use the local smtp server.



There are other uses, but it is mostly a shortcut when you don't use a FQDN.

Answer 3

What Are Search Domains

Answer 4

The search domain is, like you mention, a default DNS suffix. It is very unimportant.



Suppose your DNS suffix is set to "domain.com" and you try to open "www" in your browser, then it'll try to open subdomain but since that will fail, it will try to open subdomain.domain.com.