WinRoute's built in DNS forwarder provides you with the forwarding of DNS queries to a regular DNS server for domain name resolution. It is capable of resolving local DNS queries (when using the name of the local computer). However, DNS queries such as www.whatever.com must be resolved by the regular DNS server. WinRoute's DNS Forwarder will forward DNS queries to the DNS server.
The DNS forwarder is configured using the menu: Settings => DNS forwarder.
NOTE: The DNS forwarder is only activated for computers pointing to the IP address of the WinRoute computer as their primary DNS server.
Note that the cache only stores the answers which are of the "Name => IP address" type. The answers are stored until they expire.
"Enable DNS forwarding"
This option controls whether the DNS server is switched on or off.
"Forward DNS queries to the server automatically selected from the DNS servers known to operating system."
If selected, all DNS queries are forwarded to the DNS server chosen from the TCP/IP configuration of the Internet interface or Dial-Up networking
"Forward DNS queries to"
Enter the numeric IP address of the DNS server to which you want to forward the DNS queries. Choose an address of your ISP's DNS server or of a server to which you have a quick access.
"Enable lookup in HOST file"
With this option checked, the DNS server is allowed to use data from the HOSTS file when answering the queries.
"Edit HOSTS file..."
This button launches an external text editor in which you may edit the HOSTS file.
"DNS domain"
Enter your domain name (e.g. "acme.com") here. When answering DNS queries, the domain name is appended to host name obtained from the HOSTS file or from the DHCP lease table.
"Enable DNS cache"
This allows answers to DNS queries to be stored in internal cache. Subsequent queries are then processed using the contents of the cache, without waiting for an answer from the DNS server outside your network.
"When resolving name from HOSTS file or leased table combine it with DNS domain"
This feature may be better understood from an example - you may want to resolve a DNS query for computer JOHN. In the HOSTS file you entered that your domain mydomain.com is associated with a specific IP address. Then JOHN.mydomain.com will resolve to John's IP address.