can not get a host name

[S0LARlSTEK at aol.com]

In a message dated 11/4/99 5:29:44 PM Pacific Standard Time, 
a9500672 at sp4.macarthur.uws.EDU.AU writes:

<< Dear all,
 
 One of remote machine I can not reach it. From my DNS server:
 # host problem_machine.com.au
 Host not found.
 # nslookup problem_machine.com.au
 Server:  localhost
 Address:  127.0.0.1
 
 *** localhost can't find problem_machine.com.au: Non-existent host/domain
 But I can dig it!!!
 
 If I use ip address for that machine, I can get host name and run
 nslookup,dig.
 
 Is my DNS problem or other side?? 
 How can I find the problem??
 
 Any comments will be appreciated
 
 Thanks in advance
 
 Julie
 
 
Check to see if you have a dns entry on the hosts line in nsswitch.conf.  It 
should look like this.

# more /etc/nsswitch.conf
#
# /etc/nsswitch.files:
#
# An example file that could be copied over to /etc/nsswitch.conf; it
# does not use any naming service.
#
# "hosts:" and "services:" in this file are used only if the
# /etc/netconfig file has a "-" for nametoaddr_libs of "inet" transports.

passwd:     files
group:      files
hosts:      files dns

Also check to make sure you have told all your machines including your dns 
machines where you dns servers are.  It should look like this

#more /etc/resolv.conf
nameserver 10.0.0.1
nameserver 10.0.0.2

-OR-

domain ns1.nameserver.com
nameserver 10.0.0.1
domain ns2.nameserver.com
nameserver 10.0.0.2

You should probably just do it the first way but either is acceptable.

Greg
GT CONEX Sys. Admin