Big Picture:

Trying to configure NIS Client...
Fedora Core 3
ran authconfig to configure NIS, works. Upon reboot I see that it connected to NISDOMAIN [OK].
I can ypcat passwd.byname, no problem. Gives list of user info
edited /etc/passwd with "+:::::"
edited /etc/nsswitch.conf and made sure "files nis" is listed in passwd, shadow, group
edited /etc/nsswitch.conf and made sure "files nis dns" is listed in hosts
Setup telnet, I can log in with local accounts (i.e. root), no problem

*** I can't log in with any of the accounts listed on the NIS server, only local accounts work...." please tell me I've over looked something simple...

Thanks ahead of time...

P.S. This is the 3rd NIS client in the system... all other NIS clients works fine (but that aren't FC3, they are FreeBSD). So I know the NIS server works fine!

Do you have a +::0:0:0:::: at the end of your /etc/shadow?
Probably want the +::: on /etc/group as well.

I do have the "+:::" in the /etc/groups but I'm failing to find a "/etc/shadow" that you are referring to. The only thing I show is a /etc/shadow- file. Any more suggestions? I'm puzzled beyond belief....

thanks
-R

Your nsswitch.conf file should have nis listed as the first option not files.

I'm puzzled too. I mean if you're running Unix from 1985, that's one thing... but I don't
recall any relatively recent Linux not having an /etc/shadow file. Weird.

And yes.. the nsswitch.conf things mentioned above is important. I prefer
to run with compat, but if you do run with

passwd: files nis
group: files nis

You should be able to use NIS without having those + lines at
the end of the file.

Myself, I prefer

passwd: compat
group: compat

This allows you to selectively allow users and group on the
client and also allows you to alllow/disallow netgroups setup
inside of NIS.

still stumped!!

Did you change your /etc/nsswitch.conf file to
passwd: nis files
group: nis files

Have you found the /etc/shadow file?

I did change my /etc/nsswitch.conf file as your suggested. I found the shadow file.. for some reason, I don't know why I didn't see it earlier. I just can't understand that after all the changes/help that I've recieved that it doesn't work. It still seems like its looking for the YP/NIS login creditials locally and never on the NIS server. Strange...

Is there some sort of coping of information that I forgot to do from the NIS server? When I do the "ypcat passwd.byname" I see the entire list from the NIS server.

Here's another thing I'd like to mention... when I run "authconfig" I have "Use NIS", "Use MD5 Passwords" and "Use Shadow Passwords" selected. Anything wrong there?? I'm truely greatful for all you guys help, cause I know we'll get this thing figured out.

First of all rename the /etc/shadow- file to /etc/shadow. Then reboot all the machines and test your NIS cllient. If that fails, post the output of the following:

"domainname" command on both client and server

/etc/yp.conf file of client

"ifconfig" output of server and client

/etc/nsswitch.conf file of client

MD5 of course is not universally standard with regards to NIS. Should work in the confines of a pure Linux only network, may not work in a mixed network with other *ix hosts.

Do you see the encrypted password in your passwd map (ypcat passwd)?
If not, then you've created a non-standard NIS where shadow is probably also being pushed as a map. Again, that is non universally standard, so it can be made to work in a pure Linux network, but not necessarily with a mixed network.

I don't see the encrypted password in the passwd file, I just see a "*" in it's place. Here is an example of what I see:

yptest:*:9001:500:Yp test:/home/kitty/place/yptest:/bin/tcsh

I just found out that all the other clients (and server) are BSD. Does this put a twist on things??

Remember... I'm talking about the map... ypcat passwd and not the source /etc/passwd. If /etc is the source directory for your map creates, then ideally your /var/yp/Makefile will take care of joining the /etc/shadow encrypted passwords into the yp passwd map ultimately. So that when you do a ypcat passwd, you'll see the encrypted password strings... the whole map thing is relevant to just the yp server (if that isn't clear).

Did that document I pointed you to help? I'm asking, because I wrote it.

I'm pretty sure that we are talking about the same time (ypcat passwd). Just to confirm: when I'm on the Fedora Core 3 NIS client, I can type "ypcat passwd" and a listing of all the users that have accounts on the BSD NIS SERVER scroll down. Now, this output (from what I understand to be correct) is supposed to be different that what is on the local computer (Fedora Core 3). Just to reiterate, I don't believe there is a problem with the NIS Server (BSD) because there are 3 other NIS clients (also BSD) communicating perfectly with the NIS server.

As mentioned below, when I type "ypcat passwd" I see about 60 (because that's how many users have accounts) lines that have this type of format:

asmith:*:9000:500:Adam Smtih:/home/kitty/place/asmith:/bin/tch
yptest:*:9001:500:Yp test:/home/kitty/place/yptest:/bin/tcsh
.
.
.

I looked back at the posts, but apparently, I'm a little blind, because I don't know what document in which you are referring to.

I just noticed this... according to this tutorial (very nicely done), http://www.linuxhomenetworking.com/linux-adv/nis.htm

it states that when you type "ypcat passwd" your output should look something like this:

nisuser:$1$Cs2GMe6r$1hohkyG7ALrDLjH1:505:100::/home/nisuser:/bin/bash
quotauser:!!:503:100::/home/quotauser:/bin/bash
ftpinstall:$1$8WjAVtes$SnRh9S1w07sYkFNJwpRKa.:502:100::/:/bin/bash
www:$1$DDCi/OPI$hwiTQ.L0XqYJUk09Bw.pJ/:504:100::/home/www:/bin/bash
smallfry:$1$qHni9dnR$iKDs7gfyt..BS9Lry3DAq.:501:100::/:/bin/bash

but when I type the same thing mine has the "*" in place of the hashed password field. ie.

nisuser:*:505:100::/home/nisuser:/bin/bash
quotauser:!!:503:100::/home/quotauser:/bin/bash
ftpinstall:*:502:100::/:/bin/bash
www:*:504:100::/home/www:/bin/bash
smallfry:*:501:100::/:/bin/bash

I would assume that this problem has to due with authentication between the two different systems (BSD and FC3)?!?!?!?!