ListenAddresses

HKLM\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Services\DNS\Parameters

Description

Lists the IP addresses bound to the Domain Name System (DNS) server. If this entry does not appear in the registry or its value contains no addresses, the DNS server attempts to bind to all IP addresses on the computer.

Change method

To change the value of this entry, use the Interfaces dialog in the DNS console or Dnscmd.exe, a tool included with the Windows 2000 Support Tools. Your changes are effective immediately; you do not have to restart the DNS server.

Activation method

DNS reads its registry entries only when it starts. You can change entries while the DNS server is running by using the DNS console. If you change entries by editing the registry, the changes are not effective until you restart the DNS server.

Note

This feature does not usually improve the performance of DNS servers running Windows 2000.

The default value is optimal for most servers. However, you might need to exclude certain interfaces, especially if you are running Windows NT 4.0 prior to Service Pack 2, which cannot bind to more than 15 IP addresses. Windows 2000 is not limited. Also, in Windows NT 4.0 and earlier, the DNS server does not detect and bind to more than 35 interfaces properly.

The DNS server must bind to individual IP addresses because many resolvers require that the DNS response comes from the IP address to which the query was sent. The responses may not appear to come from the same IP address for multi-IP servers, depending on TCP/IP stack's routing table.

Windows 2000 does not add this entry to the registry. You can add it by editing the registry or by using a program that edits the registry.