LooseWildcarding
HKLM\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Services\DNS\Parameters
Data type |
Range |
Default value |
|---|---|---|
REG_DWORD |
0 | 1 |
0 |
Description
Determines whether the Domain Name System (DNS) server uses loose wildcarding, as it does in Windows NT 4.0 and earlier. This method does not strictly comply with standards for using the wildcard character in resource records, as specified by RFC 1034, "Domain names—concepts and facilities."
Value |
Meaning |
|---|---|
0 |
Do not use loose wildcarding. Records must match the name and record type specified in a name query. Otherwise, the DNS server returns an empty response, meaning that no match was found. This setting complies with RFC 1034. |
1 |
Use loose wildcarding. If no resource record matches the name and type specified in the query, the DNS server searches for a related wildcard record of the type specified in the query. Then, the DNS server returns a resource record that matches the wildcard pattern. |
Activation method
DNS reads its registry entries only when it starts. If you change the value of this entry by editing the registry, the changes are not effective until you restart the DNS server.
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Note
The default method that the DNS server uses to resolve queries containing wildcards is changed for Windows 2000. In Windows NT 4.0 and earlier, by default, the DNS server does not comply with RFC 1034. Instead, it searches until it finds a record that matches the name and record type in the query.
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.
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Tip
If your hosts can receive mail, the default value is optimal. However, if you advertise hosts that are not mail servers, you should add MX (mail exchange) records for each host to the DNS. If you set the value of this entry to 1, just two MX records can satisfy all queries for the authoritative zone.