WINS Lookup Interoperability Considerations

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For a zone that is configured for WINS lookup, WINS lookup works best if all authoritative servers are running Windows 2000 or Windows NT 4.0. WINS lookup requires the use of WINS and/or WINS - R resource records, two special, Windows-specific resource records. Computers that are running third-party implementations of DNS do not support WINS and WINS - R records. If you attempt to use a mixture of Microsoft and third-party DNS servers to host a zone, the mixture might cause data errors or failed zone transfers at the third-party DNS servers unless you configure the Windows 2000 server to disable replication of WINS and WINS - R records.

To disable replication of WINS and WINS - R records

  1. In the DNS console, double-click your server to view its zones.

  2. If you want to disable replication in a forward lookup zone, double-click the Forward Lookup Zone folder.
    -Or-
    If you want to disable replication in a reverse lookup zone, double-click the Reverse Lookup Zone folder.

  3. Right-click the zone for which you want to disable replication of WINS and WINS - R records, and then click Properties .

  4. Click the WINS tab.

  5. Select the Do not replicate this record check box.

However, if you do disable replication of WINS and WINS - R records, queries directed at the primary and secondary servers return different results. When the authoritative primary server is queried for the name of a WINS client, it queries WINS, then returns the result to the client. However, when an authoritative secondary server is queried, it replies that the name was not be found.

The best way to prevent this problem is to configure your DNS servers to use WINS referral, described in the next section.