Hi guys.. ok.. a whole range of problems.. and after nights of trials.. and googling.. i think i am not searching it right.. so please give some insight

1) I installed a fresh copy of RHEL3 on server, then started to install plesk via their auto update (got problems too, but never mind first).
I realise i can't start httpd after installing.. it says "Could not determine the server's fully qualified domain name, using 127.0.0.1 for Server name"
how come?

I know one thing that doesn't help is that i dunno how to start plesk after installing (ie. start configuring via web panel). Cos can't find instructions

2) I Can't do traceroute beyond my gateway
Is that normal?

3) Is it true that my hostname should be the designated domain name i will be giving it (they will be acting as dns/email server, thus ns1.xxx.com, ns2.xxx.com)
and i should be able to ping myself with that name?

cos i am testing in the internal network still....

(1) Did you set the ServerName directive in httpd.conf? As for Plesk, I've never used it so sorry but I can't help with that.

(2) If your firewall is filtering ICMP, then yes. Otherwise no.

(3) Are you doing your own DNS? Then you need two separate DNS servers (a primary and backup) with different static IP addresses. Then you can assign host.yourdomain.tld to the IP of your server and yes you should make the name of the system the same as one of the names that points to it (mostly for sanity's sake). Remember, you can have multiple names that point to the same IP address.