problems reaching name server from different locations

[Jason Currell]

When I query the nameserver from mailhost.nettwerk.com on my network I get

# dig @mailhost.nettwerk.com atkinslawco.com

; <<>> DiG 9.2.1 <<>> @mailhost.nettwerk.com atkinslawco.com
;; global options:  printcmd
;; Got answer:
;; ->>HEADER<<- opcode: QUERY, status: NOERROR, id: 44869
;; flags: qr rd ra; QUERY: 1, ANSWER: 1, AUTHORITY: 1, ADDITIONAL: 1

;; QUESTION SECTION:
;atkinslawco.com.               IN      A

;; ANSWER SECTION:
atkinslawco.com.        83588   IN      A       205.209.16.85

;; AUTHORITY SECTION:
atkinslawco.com.        83588   IN      NS      ns.atkinslawco.com.

;; ADDITIONAL SECTION:
ns.atkinslawco.com.     83588   IN      A       205.209.16.85

;; Query time: 0 msec
;; SERVER: 209.17.154.5#53(mailhost.nettwerk.com)
;; WHEN: Mon Dec  9 16:03:33 2002
;; MSG SIZE  rcvd: 82

Then when I try to query their authoritative nameserver directly I get:

# dig @ns.atkinslawco.com atkinslawco.com
dig: Couldn't find server 'ns.atkinslawco.com': Name or service not known


However if I dig directly to their IP it works fine:

# dig @205.209.16.85 atkinslawco.com

; <<>> DiG 9.2.1 <<>> @205.209.16.85 atkinslawco.com
;; global options:  printcmd
;; Got answer:
;; ->>HEADER<<- opcode: QUERY, status: NOERROR, id: 49637
;; flags: qr aa rd ra; QUERY: 1, ANSWER: 1, AUTHORITY: 1, ADDITIONAL: 1

;; QUESTION SECTION:
;atkinslawco.com.               IN      A

;; ANSWER SECTION:
atkinslawco.com.        86400   IN      A       205.209.16.85

;; AUTHORITY SECTION:
atkinslawco.com.        86400   IN      NS      ns.atkinslawco.com.

;; ADDITIONAL SECTION:
ns.atkinslawco.com.     86400   IN      A       205.209.16.85

;; Query time: 277 msec
;; SERVER: 205.209.16.85#53(205.209.16.85)
;; WHEN: Mon Dec  9 16:07:33 2002
;; MSG SIZE  rcvd: 82


And if I do a lookup of ns.atkinslawco.com it works fine:

dig @mailhost.nettwerk.com ns.atkinslawco.com

; <<>> DiG 9.2.1 <<>> @mailhost.nettwerk.com ns.atkinslawco.com
;; global options:  printcmd
;; Got answer:
;; ->>HEADER<<- opcode: QUERY, status: NOERROR, id: 34410
;; flags: qr rd ra; QUERY: 1, ANSWER: 1, AUTHORITY: 1, ADDITIONAL: 0

;; QUESTION SECTION:
;ns.atkinslawco.com.            IN      A

;; ANSWER SECTION:
ns.atkinslawco.com.     83276   IN      A       205.209.16.85

;; AUTHORITY SECTION:
atkinslawco.com.        83276   IN      NS      ns.atkinslawco.com.

;; Query time: 0 msec
;; SERVER: 209.17.154.5#53(mailhost.nettwerk.com)
;; WHEN: Mon Dec  9 16:08:45 2002
;; MSG SIZE  rcvd: 66



However if I goto another computer on another network and
query ns.atkinslawco.com it works fine.

dig @ns.atkinslawco.com atkinslawco.com

; <<>> DiG 9.1.2 <<>> @ns.atkinslawco.com atkinslawco.com
;; global options:  printcmd
;; Got answer:
;; ->>HEADER<<- opcode: QUERY, status: NOERROR, id: 3727
;; flags: qr aa rd ra; QUERY: 1, ANSWER: 1, AUTHORITY: 1, ADDITIONAL: 1

;; QUESTION SECTION:
;atkinslawco.com.               IN      A

;; ANSWER SECTION:
atkinslawco.com.        86400   IN      A       205.209.16.85

;; AUTHORITY SECTION:
atkinslawco.com.        86400   IN      NS      ns.atkinslawco.com.

;; ADDITIONAL SECTION:
ns.atkinslawco.com.     86400   IN      A       205.209.16.85

;; Query time: 94 msec
;; SERVER: 205.209.16.85#53(ns.atkinslawco.com)
;; WHEN: Mon Dec  9 16:07:19 2002
;; MSG SIZE  rcvd: 82



ANywbody have any ideas what's going on here.  On top of all this it 
only happens to
our network some of the time.  ie) Sometimes ns.atkinslawco.com can be 
queryed
no problem...


----------------------------------------------------------------
Jason Currell        | System Administrator Nettwerk Productions
currell at nettwerk.com | 1650 West 2nd Ave.
(604) 654-2929       | Vancouver, BC V6J 4R3