DNS Enabler
Current Version: 2.1.1 (July 10, 2007) / 3.0.4 (August 4, 2008) / 4.0.5 (March 12, 2010)
DNS Enabler is an inexpensive shareware application that takes the work out of configuring BIND, the DNS server built into Mac OS X. According to the authors, DNS Enabler "tries to be as buzzword-compliant as possible - it handles multiple virtual domains, multiple subnets, aliases, MX records (including specifying back-up servers on other networks), and creating the right number of reverse pointer and CNAME records - while doing it all using a single window, the Mac way."
Version 2.1.1 - the latest release for Mac OS X 10.3 & 10.4 - adds/changes the following:
- Fixed a bug which occurred when there is a domain, e.g. called ABC.com, and another, say, xyzABC.com which contains the same letters as the first domain. DNS Enabler got confused when it had to process both these domains in the same list. This has been sorted out and DNS Enabler is smarter now about these things.
Version 3.0.4 - the latest release for Mac OS X 10.5 (Leopard) - adds/changes the following:
- Fixed the config file to work with Apple's latest BIND 9.4.2-P1 update. Eliminates the "using specific query-source port suppresses port randomization and can be insecure" warning.
Version 4.0.5 - the latest release for Mac OS X 10.6 (Snow Leopard) - adds/changes the following:
- One cosmetic change - the question-mark icon for the new Dynamic DNS Update feature does not "stick" to its position when the window is re-sized. This has been fixed.
- Also the Authorisation Key generated for DNS Agent now also contains the name of the DNS Server to allow DNS Agent to be pre-filled with the name of its home DNS Server when its Authorisation Key is installed.
User Reviews
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the Mac OS X 10.3+ (Cocoa / Universal) version (2.1.1).
to download the Mac OS X 10.6 (Cocoa / Universal) version (4.0.5).Also See . . .
Can't find what you're looking for? Try a search:
Also, if you have an older Mac, be sure to check out the "Classic" applications page for more options.
Finally, take a look at ALEMIA if you think you know that name of an application, but aren't quite sure.
Built Into Mac OS X
Mac OS X has a huge amount of TCP/IP-based server software built into it that I don't specifically cover here. Your "Sharing" Preference Pane allows you to enable and disable these services with a click of the mouse. The software running behind the scenes to provide many of these services is generally of the open source variety. The standard release of Mac OS X includes, among many others:
- Apache httpd (web server; enabled via the Sharing Preference Pane).
- Postfix (mail server; see Mac OS X Hints for more information).
- tnftpd (FTP server; enabled via the Sharing Preference Pane).
- OpenSSH (Secure Shell server; enabled via the Sharing Preference Pane via "Remote Login" but additionally configurable via selected applications listed on this page).
- BIND (Domain Name System server; see Mac OS X Hints for more information).
- Samba (Windows file sharing; enabled via the Sharing Preference Pane).
- XFree86 (X Window server; enabled via the "X11" application in your "Utilities" folder, if you elected to install it with Mac OS X).
Of course, Mac OS X Server includes many more, in addition to offering more recent versions of many of the above servers.
Related Links
Graham Orndorff has written a superb collection of articles on setting up email servers and secure email clients on Mac OS X.
Also Consider . . .
These are applications that are newer and of potential interest, but which I haven't yet selected for permanent inclusion. Have a look, and let me know if you think they deserve to be part of the permanent collection!