DNS Query/Exchange resolves to .local - best action to take?

plettner · July 2008

Hi,

I have currently a small network at my parents' place setup which run Windows 2003 in AD which is also a DNS server. The DNS works fine, I can resolve names, etc.

I also have a valid Internet name registered which I have pointing to my IP address at my parents' house. This works fine and I can "see" my Server 2003 web page from the Internet (such as my work or my own place). I can browse to server01.internetdomain.xxx from my work computer, etc.

Inside this domain, I have the ".local" namespace and I also have Exchange 2003 installed. Exchange works fine - it recieves and send mail and I can setup Outlook with an Exchange account inside the .local computers at my parents' place. So my server is named server01.local.

However, if I try and setup Outlook with an Exchnage account from a computer outside this .local namespace, it will allow me type in the Exchange mail server name (i.e. server01.internetdomain.xxx). I enter a valid accouint and password but then the wizard "resolves" (not sure of a better word) the Exchnage Server to "server01.local". At this point I cannot establish a connection as I am outside this namespace and Outlook cannot see the server. Even if I use my assigned IP address, the Outlook 2007 wizard will resolve the IP address to server01.local.

Now, I'm not sure if this is becuase I am using the internal addressing of .local but I thought that was the best practice.

How can i get around this? I have been thinking of a VPN but did not want to do that at this stage.

This is my thinking so if I'm way off the mark, let me know. I'm still studying DNS and will start studying for Exchange later so I'm no expert!

Note: I'm not sure if this is a DNS question, Exchange configuration question, etc. so my apologies if I posted in the worng forum.