dig works, ping doesn't

[chelsel]

Not sure where to post this question... but I have a DNS name resolution problem with OS X and it's driving me nuts. I'm trying to PING a host on my local network using the DNS host name, NOT the IP address. A ping by IP address does work however. Also, I DO NOT WANT TO ADD THE NAME TO THE HOSTS FILE. This defeats the purpose of DHCP (the D means Dynamic)...

The lookupd configuration looks correct, dig and nslookup operate properly but PING does not. The name of the local host I'm trying to ping is 'files'.

Here is a relevant terminal session (if there's a better place to put this, PLEASE let me know):

mymachine:~ cliff$ lookupd -configuration

ConfigSource: file://etc/lookupd
LookupOrder: Cache NI DS
MaxIdleServers: 4
MaxIdleThreads: 2
MaxThreads: 64
TimeToLive: 43200
Timeout: 30
ValidateCache: YES
ValidationLatency: 15
_config_name: Global Configuration

LookupOrder: Cache FF DNS NI DS
_config_name: Host Configuration

LookupOrder: Cache FF NI DS
_config_name: Service Configuration

LookupOrder: Cache FF NI DS
_config_name: Protocol Configuration

LookupOrder: Cache FF NI DS
_config_name: Rpc Configuration

TimeToLive: 60
ValidateCache: NO
_config_name: Group Configuration

TimeToLive: 300
ValidateCache: NO
_config_name: Initgroup Configuration

LookupOrder: Cache FF DNS NI DS
_config_name: Network Configuration

mymachine:~ cliff$ ping files
ping: cannot resolve files: Unknown host
mymachine:~ cliff$ ping files.local
ping: cannot resolve files.local: Unknown host
mymachine:~ cliff$ ping files.localdomain
ping: cannot resolve files.localdomain: Unknown host
mymachine:~ cliff$
mymachine:~ cliff$ dig files

; <<>> DiG 9.3.4 <<>> files
;; global options: printcmd
;; Got answer:
;; ->>HEADER<<- opcode: QUERY, status: NOERROR, id: 16769
;; flags: qr rd ra; QUERY: 1, ANSWER: 1, AUTHORITY: 0, ADDITIONAL: 0

;; QUESTION SECTION:
;files. IN A

;; ANSWER SECTION:
files. 0 IN A 192.168.10.40

;; Query time: 2 msec
;; SERVER: 192.168.10.1#53(192.168.10.1)
;; WHEN: Mon Aug 6 11:31:23 2007
;; MSG SIZE rcvd: 39

mymachine:~ cliff$ nslookup
> files
Server: 192.168.10.1
Address: 192.168.10.1#53

Non-authoritative answer:
Name: files
Address: 192.168.10.40
> exit

Any ideas? I've tried creating LookupOrder entries for every possible lookupd setting in /etc/lookupd but to no avail.

This is extraordinarily frustrating and given the darwin roots of OSX this should be very very easy...

Cliff.

 

[theBB]

I am not very proficient in networking, but I believe you need to define a server in your .rhosts file or somewhere like that for your computer to ask for the IP address of a "named" host.

The IP address in your "nslookup" looks like your base station, but it may not be suitable for this function. Most base stations distribute IP addresses, but does not keep a "this name" is actually "this IP address" type of list. More like "I'll assign this IP address to this MAC address".

 

[chelsel]

thanks for the suggestion... but that's not the problem... anyone else??

 

[chelsel]

anyone?

 

[rxy]

Same thing for me!

I have exactly the same problem.

I used to have a Windows XP machine set up as a DHCP server, and my Mac was able to ping local hostnames. Earlier in the week I changed to a router which is now set up as a DHCP server. All the Windows machines on the network are able to ping local host names quite happily but the Mac isn't resolving these names anymore. 😡

The Mac is able to connect to drives on other machines by using hostnames, but I can't Ping, or use Remote Desktop Connection to a PC, using a host name. IP addresses work fine.

I am at a loss!

Rob