SUSE9.2pro with bind 9.2.4

have made the dns setup according to guidelines - and it seems to be correct setup..
..syslog reports no errors after starting name server..
..when i make a nslookup for the hostname on the box where i setup the name server - it brings this message:

** server can't find myhostname: NXDOMAIN

i'm on an internal network with static ip addresses..
connecting to outside via a router (cable)..

if i try nslookup for an external site it brings this message:

Non-authoritative answer:
Name: mydomain.com
Address: xxx.xxx.xxx.xxx

can't think of any other info for your help - but will supply further if anyone of you fine guys have a suggestion..
maybe i missed some minor input..of course i did..silly me..

Well, because you decided to try to obfuscate your post, it's hard to determine what the answer is. However, assuming you've set up your own internal DNS correctly - easily done reading the online HOW-TOs, make sure that you know which DNS servers you're pointing to in your /etc/resolv.conf

Also, there are multiple things to setting up DNS. If you want other people to have access to your domain name, you'll have to go through your ISP to set up the DNS server for your domain name, etc.

i don't know what obfuscate means - but i guess you are referring to my alteration of the output regarding the actual ip adresses..?

yeah - i know there are many diff settings regarding dns..
i 'm really just trying to find out where to go from my current setup..

right now i'm working with the router setup..
tried to change it from dynamic to static..
also put in the dns addresses from my isp..
rebooted..
but then i could not get online..
browser just hangs - with blank page..
router back to dynamic - works ok..

i realize that i have to input some details in dns when changing router to static - and i did several different ns inputs in the dns server in the yast module..
amongst others i placed - in the ns tab:
- the two dns addresses from my isp..
- my server ip address..
and in the records tab:
- the two dns addresses from my isp..
- my server ip address..

these inputs i did in both the forward and reverse files..

right now - with router set for dynamic - doing nslookup for the server box gives this output:

4-linux:~ # nslookup
> 4-linux
Server: 195.218.0.9
Address: 195.218.0.9#53

** server can't find 4-linux: NXDOMAIN

..hmmmmm..??

Obfuscate means to hide. By putting xxx.xxx.xxx.xxx down as the IP address makes it more difficult for people to help resolv your issue. especially, when it appears that the IP address you're trying to associate to is a reserved address that's non routeable over the internet.

However, if you say that you have everything set up correctly, and you're still not able to find your resolved DNS name, that points to one thing, your /etc/resolv.conf file. In there is where you set up your DNS servers for lookups, make sure that yours is the first one.

Here's an example of a resolv.conf

The first one in there is my DNS b/c I host my own webiste and the like and I want all my connections from home to hit it first, b/c I have other things going on as well.

well - it appears to be setup correctly..

btw - the ip address which i did 'hide' is actually my own ip address for my domain with an external isp..
it is this domain ( + more ) i wish to host at home on my own linux box..
i have setup a dyndns.org account for the domain to point to my router ip instead..

ok - so would it be ok to let the router remain dynamic..?
..should i interfere with the router at all - is it necessary to alter the router in order to run a dns server on your home-box..?

what i'm trying to do is actually - like yourself - to run websites from home - and email..

looking at your resolv.conf:

what's the first line..?
..and why is the last 5 ip addresses commented out..? does that mean they are not active..?

here's my resolv.conf:

the first one is my domainname
next is the server box ip
and then two isp dns

resolv.conf - 101

The search means if I were to enter a name like munchkin, it would search first for munchkin.technoslave.net. That's what search does.

Yes, the hash marks in front of the line are read as comments and not to be read as searching servers.

As for your dynamic router ... hrm, I've not done much work with that, I'm not quite sure how that will work. Does your boxes IP address change when you reboot?

You mention router/gateway ( and changing it from a static to dynamic and back , etc ) , are you forwarding ports to your linux box which remains a static IP address, but it's a non routeable ( 192.168.0 or 10, etc ? )

And the other thing, if you're attempting to do DNS/bind/named, you don't want to have your ISPs DNS servers in your db.domain type files, the only things that should be in there are your entries. Your ISP entries for their DNS servers will go in your /etc/resolv.conf file.

no - all internal boxes are configured with static addresses..so they don't change with re-boot..

i don't quite understand your question:
when i change the router from dynamic to static - it gives me a static public address..which is always the same even after several times forth and back - dyn - stat - dyn etc..
my boxes are always with permanent static addresses - i haven't changed these at any time..
when switching back to dynamic - the public address obviously alters..

thank's for your remark about having the isp' dns addresses in my named files..
i will delete these now - and try how it works..

well - i have now altered the router to static mode..

deleted the two public dns addresses in the named forward and reverse files..

i can now nslookup on the dns server box - and also from another linux box on my internal net..
i get the default apache test page when entering the hostname or my domain name - from either linux box - internally..
so far so good.. :-)

but - on another internal box - winxp (grief) - i correctly get the linux hostbox apache test page..when entering the hostname for that box..
when i enter my domain name address - however - i still get the webpage stored on the server with my external isp - not the apache test page on my local linux server..

right - after trying different setups - it now seems to work with the dns..

thank's Technoslave :-)

except for one thing:
when i try to login to my online vpop account with my external isp - the browser comes back with unknown host message..?
but other websites are ok..

when i then alter the order of the name servers in the resolv.conf so my own name server is not at the top of the list - and then open the browser - go to my vpop account - i get my login screen as supposed..?

what could be the reason for me not being able to get to the site when i have my own name server on top of the list in the resolv.conf..?

That is odd, my guess would be a DNS timeout issue with your connection software. Ways to fix it would include doing a dump of traffic when it's connecting ( tcpdump ) and putting the name/ip address in your /etc/hosts, but that's not a good thing to do.

If you connect/fail then try to connect again does it work?

aaaiiiiyyyyy - i just realized what i've done wrong:

mail transfer agent setup (yast)
incoming mail tab
i had entered my receiving email address - also in the 'forward root's mail to'
..and guess what:
all mail was being sent into loops..
aiiii - ayyyy..

i found my long missed emails though ( /var/mail ) - hundreds of them - frankly only less than 10 was worth it..
the rest - spam and junk..

thanks for your attention.. it's always nice to learn - and a joy when you have cracked a prob - with the help of all you fine guys out there handing out your expertise..
and also to realize that sometimes it's only a minor input.. turning despair into joy..

cheers - folks :-)