DNS / Ping- resolving FQDN HELP!!

[bran2235]

Hi everyone...Hope someone can help me w/ this- at least a start on troubleshooting too!

when I attempt to ping a server using just the server name, it works fine... however, when I ping servername.domain.local it works about 25% of the time... the other times, I get 'unknown host'... any ideas??

Can anyone help me w/ some troubleshooting here?? We have two DNS Servers and all servers/machines are on one subnet. Can I just make a DNS entry for the server?? or is this not the route I should take??

Thanks for any type of advice!!!
Brandon

 

[micronmega]

when you get the unknown host reply, check to see what DNS server you are pointing at, it may be missing an entry for that server you are trying to ping. You can do a nslookup for that server and it will tell you what DNS server you are looking at.

You can also manually look to see what the dns servers have. Just type nslookup at a prompt, it will bring you into the program. Then type "server (youdnsserverhere)" and that will bind you to the server you specify. Then just type the name of the server you want to resolve.

 

[bran2235]

ok, here's what I did...
There are entrys for the server:
Under Forward Lookup Zones, there is a correct entry w/ servername - HOST - IP ADDRESS

Under Reverse Lookup Zones, there is a pointer for the entire servername.domain.local (and the correct IP)...

(?)

The above is true on both of our DNS servers. Is there a timeout variable or anything?? Because when I ping just servername there is like a 3 second pause then I get replys... But, when I ping servername.domain.local it immediately says Unknow Host. So, I did the nslookup server command and I saw what DNS server it was using... what do I do at this point?
THX!!

 

[micronmega]

Well is your workstation pointing at the correct DNS servers? What OS are you doing this from? Are you running DHCP and getting your dns servers from the global options? If so are there conflicting scope options for the subnet you are on?

Pinging just the name is probably resolving as a broadcast, that is if you are on the same subnet.

 

[bran2235]

Ok, workstation is W2k pro-
No, not using DHCP. All static- and yes, my workstation is pointing at both DNS servers (my network only has two DNS servers). Both are listed under the DNS tab on my workstation.

Question- when you said pinging just the name, do you mean without the domain.local at the end? I just really don't know what to do... There is an entry for this server on both of my DNS servers... It's just that every now and then, I can't ping the FQDN of the server BUT I CAN PING JUST THE server BY ITSELF...
STRUGGLIN' !!

 

[FragTop]

I am having this same problem where the DNS is working fine then it stops returning DNS results. If I run "ipconfig /renew" on the workstations they all can once again get DNS service.

We are running Win2K/XP pro on the workstations with Win2K Server / Microsoft DNS on the servers.

Has anyone resolved this one? I could really use the help as well.

Thanks!

 

[bran2235]

At a cmd prompt-
Try this: ipconfig /flushdns

This will clear your DNS resolver cache on the local machine... It worked for us ... so far !!

Good luck!!
Brandon

 

[Darra]

May be a good idea to rule WINS out as a culprit....
IS WINS enabled on the pc's in question?

 

[bran2235]

No Wins at all on my LAN...

???

 

[DG659]

do both DNS servers know of each other ?