DNS suffix search list

Specifies the DNS suffixes to attach to an unqualified single-label name before submission of a DNS query for that name.

An unqualified single-label name contains no dots. The name "example" is a single-label name. This is different from a fully qualified domain name such as "example.microsoft.com."

Client computers that receive this policy setting will attach one or more suffixes to DNS queries for a single-label name. For example, a DNS query for the single-label name "example" will be modified to "example.microsoft.com" before sending the query to a DNS server if this policy setting is enabled with a suffix of "microsoft.com."

To use this policy setting, click Enabled, and then enter a string value representing the DNS suffixes that should be appended to single-label names. You must specify at least one suffix. Use a comma-delimited string, such as "microsoft.com,serverua.microsoft.com,office.microsoft.com" to specify multiple suffixes.

If you enable this policy setting, one DNS suffix is attached at a time for each query. If a query is unsuccessful, a new DNS suffix is added in place of the failed suffix, and this new query is submitted. The values are used in the order they appear in the string, starting with the leftmost value and proceeding to the right until a query is successful or all suffixes are tried.

If you disable this policy setting, or if you do not configure this policy setting, the primary DNS suffix and network connection-specific DNS suffixes are appended to the unqualified queries.

Supported on: At least Windows Server 2003 operating systems or Windows XP Professional

DNS Suffixes:

Registry HiveHKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE
Registry PathSoftware\Policies\Microsoft\Windows NT\DNSClient
Value NameSearchList
Value TypeREG_SZ
Default Value

dnsclient.admx

Administrative Templates (Computers)

Administrative Templates (Users)