DNS Broken

[jefferyp_3157]

Hi,
We recently installed opensuse 11.1 on a rack mount computer (from ABMX, 64 bit) and all was well. Then firefox ceased to work properly. Entering names in the address line (of firefox) gives "Can't find host" but when the actual IP address is entered the corresponding web page opens. We've been working with the network settings and someone suggested the resolv.conf was probably altered outside of the netconfig utility, and this could be the cause. Ultimately the answer is to use a backup of the Network config file (config.orig) and rerun the Network configuration utility. Unfortunately i do not have this file in /etc/sysconfig/network/. Is there a way to get a copy of this?
Thanks

[hcvv]

What is in /etc/resolv.conf now and don't you know what should be there (or what are the DNS servers of your ISP).

[erikro]

Hi,

please type

dig

and post the result here.

You don't have a resolve.conf or you don't have a backup copy?

Bye

Erik

[jefferyp_3157]

Hi,
Thanks for the reply. The contents of resolve.conf follow:

### /etc/resolv.conf file autogenerated by netconfig!
#
# Before you change this file manually, consider to define the
# static DNS configuration using the following variables in the
# /etc/sysconfig/network/config file:
# NETCONFIG_DNS_STATIC_SEARCHLIST
# NETCONFIG_DNS_STATIC_SERVERS
# NETCONFIG_DNS_FORWARDER
# or disable DNS configuration updates via netconfig by setting:
# NETCONFIG_DNS_POLICY=''
#
# See also the netconfig(8) manual page and other documentation.
#
# Note: Manual change of this file disables netconfig too, but
# may get lost when this file contains comments or empty lines
# only, the netconfig settings are same with settings in this
# file and in case of a "netconfig update -f" call.
#
### Please remove (at least) this line when you modify the file!
search geol.sc.edu
nameserver xxx.xxx.32.2
nameserver xxx.xxx.41.11
nameserver xxx.xxx.35.2

The name servers were given by the provider. I should have clarified. I am able to use nslookup. Somehow it is capable of resolving the name of the web site associated with the IP.(?)
Using netconfig at this point with the config file in /etc/sysconfig/network/ regenerates the resolv.conf as displayed.
I should also mention that the majority of manual configuration was done via YAST.

[hcvv]

I don't quite get what you problem exactly is. Do I get it right when I state:

1) doing nslookup on forums.opensus.org gives the correct answer 130.57.4.15;
2) but typing forums.opensuse.org in FFs addressbar results in "Can't find host";
3) and when you type 130.57.4.15 in FFs addressbar you get the page displayed?

Edit: why so shy about the first two bytes of the IP addresses. This makesit dificult to test for us. And one finds within 3 minutes that they are:

2.32.252.129.in-addr.arpa       name = porsche.psc.sc.edu.
11.41.252.129.in-addr.arpa      name = name0.sc.edu.
2.35.252.129.in-addr.arpa       name = kanga.seis.sc.edu.

[jefferyp_3157]

Hi,
sheepish grin,
#2 above. Entering numeric ip address finds the website while entering the alpha representation gives "host not found"
The output of nslookup and dig for the forum ip gives:

>> nslookup openSUSE.org
Server: 129.252.32.2
Address: 129.252.32.2#53

Non-authoritative answer:
15.4.57.130.in-addr.arpa name = cot.novell.com.

Authoritative answers can be found from:
4.57.130.in-addr.arpa nameserver = ns2.novell.com.
4.57.130.in-addr.arpa nameserver = ns.novell.com.

>>dig openSUSE.org
; <<>> DiG 9.5.0-P2 <<>> 130.57.4.15
;; global options: printcmd
;; Got answer:
;; ->>HEADER<<- opcode: QUERY, status: NXDOMAIN, id: 31999
;; flags: qr rd ra; QUERY: 1, ANSWER: 0, AUTHORITY: 1, ADDITIONAL: 0

;; QUESTION SECTION:
;130.57.4.15. IN A

;; AUTHORITY SECTION:
. 10800 IN SOA A.ROOT-SERVERS.NET. NSTLD.VERISIGN-GRS.COM. 2009101901 1800 900 604800 86400

;; Query time: 26 msec
;; SERVER: 129.252.41.11#53(129.252.41.11)
;; WHEN: Mon Oct 19 18:36:24 2009
;; MSG SIZE rcvd: 104

Server: 129.252.32.2
Address: 129.252.32.2#53

Non-authoritative answer:
15.4.57.130.in-addr.arpa name = cot.novell.com.

Authoritative answers can be found from:
4.57.130.in-addr.arpa nameserver = ns2.novell.com.
4.57.130.in-addr.arpa nameserver = ns.novell.com.

Thanks again and in advance for your assistance.

[hcvv]

I do not know why you use opensuse.org instead of forums.opensuse.org in your tests with nslookup and dig, but I think the effect will be the same.

Using nslookup and dig as DNS-clients show that your DNS servers function. My conclusion: it is not a DNS problem.

Did (or can) you try a different browser (like Konqueror) to see if the same problem persists?

Can you post the output of

cat /etc/nsswitch.conf | grep hosts

Maybe something is broken there.

[jefferyp_3157]

Konquerer gives the same results as firefox, "Hosts not found" entering "forums.opensuse.org", and the page loads using the ip. The command:
cat /etc/nsswitch.cong | grep hosts
results in

hosts: files dns

I will also mention that there was a suggestion to try disabling ipv6 on firefox and in yast. Though attempting these web pages with ipv6 enabled didn't seem to make a difference

jefferyp 3157 wrote:

>
> Konquerer gives the same results as firefox, "Hosts not found" entering
> "forums.opensuse.org", and the page loads using the ip. The command:
> cat /etc/nsswitch.cong | grep hosts
> results in
>
> hosts: files dns
>
> I will also mention that there was a suggestion to try disabling ipv6
> on firefox and in yast. Though attempting these web pages with ipv6
> enabled didn't seem to make a difference

I had a very similar results when I screwed up the proxy setting for FF. Is
that a possibility?

--
Will Honea

On Mon October 19 2009 03:36 pm, jefferyp 3157 wrote:

>
> Konquerer gives the same results as firefox, "Hosts not found" entering
> "forums.opensuse.org", and the page loads using the ip. The command:
> cat /etc/nsswitch.cong | grep hosts
> results in
>
> hosts: files dns
>
> I will also mention that there was a suggestion to try disabling ipv6
> on firefox and in yast. Though attempting these web pages with ipv6
> enabled didn't seem to make a difference
>
>
jefferyp;

Have you tried disabling IPv6 in YaST (under network card)?
--
P. V.
"We're all in this together, I'm pulling for you." Red Green