Re: Domain name to use on home networks
On 27 Oct 2023 15:56 +0100, from mick.crane@gmail.com (mick.crane):
> If remembering correctly the RFC was use "home" for a home network
> Then that was changed to use "local" and then back to "home".
> Is it now "home.arpa." with the dot at the end or without?
RFC 6762 specifies that "local." is _specifically_ and _exclusively_
for use with mDNS. If you're not using mDNS, don't use that TLD; and
if you're using mDNS, use that TLD _only_ for mDNS-managed names. End
of that story. (Yes, people use it incorrectly. That doesn't mean you
should, too.)
RFC 7788 said "home." was for use in environments using the Home
Networking Control Protocol.
RFC 8375 reserves "home.arpa." and updates RFC 7788 to use
"home.arpa." instead of "home." but _also_ specifies that the intended
usage of "home.arpa." is broader; "home.arpa." is intended for almost
any residential / home network use where a globally unique domain name
is either unnecessary or undesirable. (It can, of course, also be used
in a corporate context, if desired.)
Bottom line: unless you have another actually registered domain name
you want to use (in which case you are, of course, free to use that),
the safe, officially recommended choice is to use "home.arpa.".
The dot at the end of any fully qualified DNS name signifies the DNS
root zone; it is often omitted and implied, but in some contexts,
particularly DNS administration contexts, it's explicitly included to
remove ambiguity.
--
Michael Kjörling 🔗 https://michael.kjorling.se
“Remember when, on the Internet, nobody cared that you were a dog?”
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