[comp.sys.sequent] Problem with DNS lookups on a remnote server

perl@pbseps.PacBell.COM (Richard Perlman) (04/19/91)

I recently turned on resolver (i.e. I put resolv.conf into /etc) and
immediately started having problems with telnet and sendmail.  Telnet
would no longer connect to our gateway machine (ns.pacbell.com, see 
network description and nslookup output below) and sendmail timed out
for 15 minutes before a succesful resend.

Our set-up:

	Our local system is  Symmetry running DYNIX 3.0.17.  We are
not running DNS - yet.

	Our gateway system (a Sun) sits between "the Internet"
(129.245.1 and our internal backbone, 129.245.2).  TCP/IP traffic is 
not routed between the networks.  i.e. I cannot reach network 1, and 
net 1 cannot reach me.  (we are using an 8 bit subnet on a class B network).

	The gateway Sun is also the Name Server and is referenced in our 
resolv.conf.

I ran nslookup on the Sequent (using the Sun as the default Name
server).  Here is what I got back:
] 
] Default Server:  ns.PacBell.COM
] Address:  129.245.2.20
] 
] > set debug
] > ns.pacbell.com
] Server:  ns.PacBell.COM
] Address:  129.245.2.20
] ------------ 
] Got answer:
]     HEADER:
]         opcode = QUERY, id = 2, rcode = NOERROR
]         header flags: response, auth. answer, want recursion, recursion avail.
]         questions = 1,  answers = 2,  auth. records = 0,  additional = 0
]     QUESTIONS:
]         ns.PacBell.COM, type = A, class = IN
]     ANSWERS:
]     ->  ns.PacBell.COM  inet address = 129.245.1.2
]     ->  ns.PacBell.COM  inet address = 129.245.2.20
] ------------
] Name:    ns.PacBell.COM
] Address:  129.245.1.2         

When running the same command from an HP-9000 I got the 'ANSWERS' in the
opposite order and got both answers in the output.

It appears telnet (and sendmail) are trying to connect to net 1 and
while telnet never makes the connection, sendmail can somehow recoup
and connect to net 2.

According to Sequent, there is a problem in 3.0.17 that is fixed in
3.1, however, we may not be upgrading for a while due to work load and
I would like to find some kind of a work around.

Any ideas???

--
Always remember that you are here having already understood the necessity of 
contending only with yourself. Thank everyone who affords you the opportunity.
                          -- Anonymous --
Richard Perlman   |*|  perl@pbseps.pacbell.com  |*|  (415) 545-0233

rbj@uunet.UU.NET (Root Boy Jim) (04/20/91)

In an article perl@pbseps.PacBell.COM (Richard Perlman) writes:
>
>It appears telnet (and sendmail) are trying to connect to net 1 and
>while telnet never makes the connection, sendmail can somehow recoup
>and connect to net 2.

One problem may be your default route. Try telnet'ing to both
addresses (not the name). If only one works, you need a default route.

Also, some versions of telnet don't try all addresses, just the first one.
You might be interested in the version in our anonymous ftp directory.
-- 
		[rbj@uunet 1] stty sane
		unknown mode: sane