Name resolution to NT servers

[ncvandy]

I have two name resolution problems that I would greatly appreciate some help on. I am strictly an NT person and am pretty much lost in the MAC world.

I have one MAC user (OS 8.5) in a NT4 network. We recently consolidated two NT domains into one and this is giving the MAC machine fits. It did all of its communication to the domain that no longer exists. For shared files I was able to set-up a MAC volume on our new file server and that is working properly and can be accessed from the MAC. What can no longer be accessed is the company Intranet (it on the same file server). Our NT machines use a host file to locate the Intranet. I tried to create one for the MAC using simpletext in the following format:

http://www.company_intranet

CNAME 192.168.xx.xx

(when i previewed the post, the site places a semi-colon after intranet in the above line, it is not there in the host file)

I saved it and then in the TCP/IP control panel used the "Select Host" button to point to this file. Still no joy in resolving the name. The MAC is using Microsoft Explorer 4.5. If I type the IP address in the address line, it will find the home page but will not navigate further.

My other problem with the MAC is with mail. As part of the consolidation the exchange server (MS Exchange 5.5) was move to a new server and when trying to set up Outlook the MAC is unable to resolve the server name. The MAC is using Outlook 98 (unable to upgrade to Outlook 2001 with present MAC OS).

Any assistance is solving these two issues would be greatly appreciated. The more detailed the assistance is would be even more appreciated due to my lack of MAC knowledge.

One final question, is there anyway to "Ping" a connection in the MAC OS to test connectivity as you can in NT.

thank you in advance,

Jim V Jim

 

[Ecaboodle]

2nd problem first:

You will need to be running Microsoft Outlook 8.2.2 if you can't run 2001. This is very easy to setup, it will try and set itself up with a little help from you. You might have to change it to work down Apple Talk not TCP/IP. Outlook 98 will not work with Exchange.

As for problem one you may have to change the TCP/IP settings to Advanced on the Mac. Go to control panels/TCP/IP. You need to change the user mode to Advanced I think it is under the Edit menu. Then you have more options. A new button will appear on the right hand side of the TCP/IP box at the bottom, select and uncheck 'Use TCP/IP when only when needed, or some thing like that. (I think I don't have a mac in front of me).

The other area to look into as well is the IE settings. Make sure the proxy is setup right.

If you can't fix it in 20 call someone who can.

 

[jimbopalmer]

I use a shareware product from years ago, Mac TCP Watcher from stairways (email me to ask for it) it does Ping, Trace Route, DNS Lookup, and some UDP and TCP port checking. It has evolved into Interarchy, adding FTP and lots more but is much larger.

http://www.versiontracker.com/moreinfo.fcgi?id=259&db=mac

The one thing you can't give for your heart's desire is your heart. - Lois McMaster Bujold

 

[newenglandgreen]

hmmm

I agree with jimbopalmer - MacTCP watcher is a very useful tool.

I partially agree with MatthewA - any POP3 client can read mail from an exchange server, but only Outlook 8.2.x or Outlook 2001 can act as a full client. Messing with 'load only when needed' is not going to help in this case.

Your Hosts file should be called Hosts and be saved in plain text (SimpleText will do this by default) in the Preferences folder inside the active System Folder.

The CNAME record should have two text strings as parameters, eg.

webserver CNAME webserver.domain.com

and should be used in conjunction with an A record, eg.

webserver.domain.com A 192.168.1.1

If you re-type your Hosts file (using spaces, not tabs) and include both CNAME and A records for each of your intranet servers it should work. MacTCP Watcher will help with the trouble-shooting.

 

[ncvandy]

thanks for the tips guys, especially bout the "A" record with the CNAME, it did the trick. Appreciate all the help. Jim