DNS mystery

[np223]

I'm puzzled by DNS protocols in Jaguar. My ISP seems to be doing something funny with its DNS servers as I can only connect to websites by using their IP numbers. I'm thus assigned a working IP number and have an active connection. The bit that puzzles me is that, in Terminal, the prompt usually changes from something like "[ Johns-Computer:~ ] john%" to something like "[ isp-1-85.68.77.12:~ ] john%" when you have a working connection. This doesn't happen any more.

Does anyone know, is there a link between the DNS lookupd and the host awareness of Terminal?

Thanks a million,

Nathan

 

[rman]

As you stated, your isp is most likely doing something on there end. The only experience I have with DNS is when I built one at work. But from what you stated, you have not changed your jaguar environment. That would point to the isp.

If you can only connect using ip addresses only, then name resolution is not working, which also points to the isp dns servers.

 

[np223]

If you can only connect using ip addresses only, then name resolution is not working, which also points to the isp dns servers.

Yes, but my question concerns whether, under a standard Jaguar environment, Terminal relies on the ISP's DNS server to display the host name you normally see in brackets at your Terminal prompt (e.g. [ your.isp.host:~ ] currentdir%).

Does it?

Thanks,

Nathan

 

[rman]

This would be a guess. I have not found a resolv.conf file which contains the dns information. I think that jaguar can not resolve the given name to and ip address. So it displays the ip address.

I don't think the terminal prompt is dependant on dns. I know if you bring up your Apple with no network connection, the prompt in the terminal is still your host name. At least that is in my experience.

 

[np223]

We're getting somewhere

Thanks rman,

I think we're getting somewhere. You suggest that "jaguar can not resolve the given name to an[d] ip address".

I wonder if the reverse could be true. Maybe Terminal can't resolve a DNS entry for the IP number that the computer has been assigned. By default then, it just gives the normal thing as "[ Johns-Computer:~ ] currdir%".

What do you think?

Nathan

 

[rman]

I have not played with the under pinnings of Mac OS X much, as I have of other favors of Unix. I know the name of your computer is defined when you give it your name on set up. In the configuration of the computer you gave it johns and it appended computer to johns in creating the node name. Jaguar can resolve IP address to name and reverse the look up (names to ip address). This is a part of the Unix under pinnings. I think it is more of the ISP. I believe that Mac OS X get the DNS information from the ISP. You don't have to enter the DNS information , since we are using DHCP.