Is there a good DNS server I can install on Windows 7 for a LAN?

1. Consider placing DD-WRT on your router, it uses dnsmasq with a hosts file.

   This way, you won't lose energy costs on having to run that computer solely for DNS...

2. If your router doesn't support it, check out these DNS servers for Windows:

   • The most widely used DNS server, BIND, has a ntbind variant.

   • Microsoft DNS is included with Windows Server, if you can run that, perhaps virtualized.

   • Simple DNS Server really follows the KISS principle; Keep It Stupidly Simple. It's trial though...

   • PowerDNS, a Dutch DNS server that fits home DNS hosting.

   • MaraDNS only has partial support (according to Wikipedia), but is a security-aware DNS server.

   • Posadis is GPL licensed, compatible with BIND files.

   • Unbound is BSD licensed, uses modular components.

   • Cisco Network Registrar is proprietary, fits a larger company if you want support.

   If you have the money, Simple DNS Server looks really nice. Or perhaps Microsoft DNS...

   Else try an open source DNS server like BIND, PowerDNS, MaraDNS, Posadis or Unbound.

3. If you have static IPs, placing the same hosts file on every computer is a cheap solution.

Maybe MaraDNS could be of some use for you, here's a tutorial on how to set it up.

What I have done in the past is install Windows 2003 in a virtual machine with the DNS/DHCP server running on it. If you don't have access to Windows 2003 you could install any number of Linux OS's in the VM and use that as a DHCP/DNS server.

Does your router not have DNS support? I run Tomato on my router and I'm able to assign static IPs through the interface and access all my computers by hostname.