OpenNIC

OpenNIC is an alternate DNS root. Since January 2011, the VTLUUG has operated a tier 2 OpenNIC server on milton.

Simple configuration

The easiest way to set up OpenNIC is to edit resolv.conf and add some of OpenNIC's DNS servers to the list. You should add at least two in case one of them goes down. I personally use three: 128.173.89.246, 69.164.208.50, and 64.0.55.201.

Advanced configuration

If you run your own DNS server, you may want to instead use OpenNIC's DNS servers only for OpenNIC TLDs and use a DNS server that is closer to you for other domains. This also will allow you continue to use the ICANN root servers, so you can have full support for things like DNSSEC.

BIND

Add these lines to your BIND configuration file:

zone "bbs." IN {
	type forward;
	forwarders {
		69.164.208.50;
		69.164.211.225;
		128.173.89.246;
	};
};

zone "dyn." IN {
	type forward;
	forwarders {
		69.164.208.50;
		69.164.211.225;
		128.173.89.246;
	};
};

zone "free." IN {
	type forward;
	forwarders {
		69.164.208.50;
		69.164.211.225;
		128.173.89.246;
	};
};

zone "fur." IN {
	type forward;
	forwarders {
		69.164.208.50;
		69.164.211.225;
		128.173.89.246;
	};
};

zone "geek." IN {
	type forward;
	forwarders {
		69.164.208.50;
		69.164.211.225;
		128.173.89.246;
	};
};

zone "glue." IN {
	type forward;
	forwarders {
		69.164.208.50;
		69.164.211.225;
		128.173.89.246;
	};
};

zone "gopher." IN {
	type forward;
	forwarders {
		69.164.208.50;
		69.164.211.225;
		128.173.89.246;
	};
};

zone "indy." IN {
	type forward;
	forwarders {
		69.164.208.50;
		69.164.211.225;
		128.173.89.246;
	};
};

zone "ing." IN {
	type forward;
	forwarders {
		69.164.208.50;
		69.164.211.225;
		128.173.89.246;
	};
};

zone "micro." IN {
	type forward;
	forwarders {
		69.164.208.50;
		69.164.211.225;
		128.173.89.246;
	};
};

zone "null." IN {
	type forward;
	forwarders {
		69.164.208.50;
		69.164.211.225;
		128.173.89.246;
	};
};

zone "oss." IN {
	type forward;
	forwarders {
		69.164.208.50;
		69.164.211.225;
		128.173.89.246;
	};
};

zone "parody." IN {
	type forward;
	forwarders {
		69.164.208.50;
		69.164.211.225;
		128.173.89.246;
	};
};

You can replace 69.164.208.50, 69.164.211.225, and 128.173.89.246 with other OpenNIC tier 2 DNS servers if you'd like.

Dnsmasq

Add these lines to your Dnsmasq configuration file:

server=/bbs/128.173.89.246
server=/dyn/128.173.89.246
server=/fur/128.173.89.246
server=/free/128.173.89.246
server=/geek/128.173.89.246
server=/glue/128.173.89.246
server=/gopher/128.173.89.246
server=/indy/128.173.89.246
server=/ing/128.173.89.246
server=/micro/128.173.89.246
server=/null/128.173.89.246
server=/oss/128.173.89.246
server=/p2p/128.173.89.246
server=/parody/128.173.89.246

You can replace 128.173.89.246 with any of the other OpenNIC tier 2 DNS servers if you so choose.

Unbound

To configure OpenNIC to work with the Unbound recursive DNS server, simply add these to your unbound.conf:

forward-zone:
	name: "bbs."
	forward-addr: 128.173.89.246
	forward-addr: 69.164.208.50
	forward-addr: 64.0.55.201

forward-zone:
	name: "dyn."
	forward-addr: 128.173.89.246
	forward-addr: 69.164.208.50
	forward-addr: 64.0.55.201

forward-zone:
	name: "free."
	forward-addr: 128.173.89.246
	forward-addr: 69.164.208.50
	forward-addr: 64.0.55.201

forward-zone:
	name: "fur."
	forward-addr: 128.173.89.246
	forward-addr: 69.164.208.50
	forward-addr: 64.0.55.201

forward-zone:
	name: "geek."
	forward-addr: 128.173.89.246
	forward-addr: 69.164.208.50
	forward-addr: 64.0.55.201

forward-zone:
	name: "glue."
	forward-addr: 128.173.89.246
	forward-addr: 69.164.208.50
	forward-addr: 64.0.55.201

forward-zone:
	name: "gopher."
	forward-addr: 128.173.89.246
	forward-addr: 69.164.208.50
	forward-addr: 64.0.55.201

forward-zone:
	name: "indy."
	forward-addr: 128.173.89.246
	forward-addr: 69.164.208.50
	forward-addr: 64.0.55.201

forward-zone:
	name: "ing."
	forward-addr: 128.173.89.246
	forward-addr: 69.164.208.50
	forward-addr: 64.0.55.201

forward-zone:
	name: "micro."
	forward-addr: 128.173.89.246
	forward-addr: 69.164.208.50
	forward-addr: 64.0.55.201

forward-zone:
	name: "null."
	forward-addr: 128.173.89.246
	forward-addr: 69.164.208.50
	forward-addr: 64.0.55.201

forward-zone:
	name: "oss."
	forward-addr: 128.173.89.246
	forward-addr: 69.164.208.50
	forward-addr: 64.0.55.201

forward-zone:
	name: "parody."
	forward-addr: 128.173.89.246
	forward-addr: 69.164.208.50
	forward-addr: 64.0.55.201

You can replace 128.173.89.246 69.164.208.50, and 64.0.55.201 with some of the other tier 2 DNS servers listed on the OpenNIC site if you wish.

External links

• OpenNIC
• OpenNIC Homepage