DNS Suffix Search List

Determines 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, such as "example". This is different from a fully qualified domain name, such as "example.microsoft.com.".

With this setting enabled, when a user submits a query for a single-label name, such as "example", a local DNS client attaches a suffix, such as "microsoft.com", resulting in the query "example.microsoft.com", before sending the query to a DNS server.

If you enable this setting, you can specify the DNS suffixes to attach before submission of a query for an unqualified single-label name. The values of the DNS suffixes in this setting may be set using comma-separated strings, such as "microsoft.com,serverua.microsoft.com,office.microsoft.com". One DNS suffix is attached for each submission of a 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 preceding to the right.

If you enable this setting, you must specify at least one suffix.

If you disable this setting, the primary DNS suffix and network connection-specific DNS suffixes are appended to the unqualified queries.

If this setting is not configured, it is not applied to any computers, and computers use their local configuration.

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)