odd DNS failure in w2000?

[bill at billhorne.homelinux.org (Bill Horne)]

On Sat, Mar 15, 2003 at 09:35:25AM -0500, steve at horne.homelinux.net wrote:

> I have a weird w2000 problem; I've dug around on the web
> to answer it without luck.  
> 
> The Network is a rh6.2 firewall behind an attbi cable modem.
> LAN has 2 linux boxes, 1 XP laptop, 1 W95, and a w2000 laptop.
> 
> The w2000 laptop is giving me fits. It's my wife's, I don't use it much,
> so I don't know exactly what happened to cause the problem --
> 
> It no longer seems able to look up DNS info.

Steve,

Please tell us a few more details:

1. Does the W2K laptop use DHCP, or is its IP addresses permanently
   assigned?

   A. If the laptop uses dynamic IP, where does it get its DNS info?
      In other words, do you run a DNS on the RH 6.2 box, or does the 
      laptop use your ISP's DNS?
   B. If the laptop has a fixed IP address, have you set the DNS 
      server(s) to a known good IP? ISPs sometimes renumber their 
      DNS, and the W2K machine may be using an outdated IP.

2. Do you have IPTABLES (or IPCHAINS) firewall rules in place on the 
   Redhat 6.2 box? Be sure you're not blocking port 53 if the W2K
   laptop needs to see an external DNS at your ISP.

3. Does the W2K laptop (and the other machines on your LAN) have a 
   current HOSTS file? Be sure all the machines have the same file!

Once we have this info, we can provide more help. 

Bill