Running Applications with DNS Enabled

The Domain Name Service (DNS) is the most commonly used mechanism for resolving IP addresses and hostnames. You need to use a system such as DNS if you want to be able to browse a network or to reach further than your server. The server must be configured to route IP traffic, and your system administrator or Internet provider must give you the following information:

• The domain name for the subnetwork

• The IP address(es) of your name server(s)

The name server, and the server to which your client is connected, may be the same machine; but they do not have to be.

To enable DNS on your client:

1. Edit the file /etc/nsswitch.conf, and modify the hosts entry as follows:

hosts:   files dns 

1. Create the file /etc/resolv.conf, and enter the domain name and the IP addresses of all the name servers as follows:

   domain xyz.Company.COM nameserver 179.xxx.aaa.11 nameserver ... nameserver ...

2. Optionally, edit the file /etc/hosts to add the IP address and hostname of your server:

   127.0.0.1 localhost 179.xxx.aaa.117 papyrus loghost 179.xxx.aaa.100 server

   All of these changes take place automatically; there is no need to reboot your machine.