In article <20010613025520.A25827@gamma.unug> you wrote:
> This is what the passwd looks like:
> +:*::::0:0:::
> 
> /etc/group has till on the end:
> +:::
> 
> I tried this in /etc/nsswitch.conf
> passwd:                files nis
> group:         files nis
> That didnt work

You didn't say what exactly "didn't work" is. 
If you can do a 'ypcat passwd', NIS pretty much works.

remark on passwd/group and nsswitch:
you can either use the +-entries in passwd and group, and then
use "compat" as a source for passwd and group, or not have the
+-entries and then include "nis" as source for passwd and group.
Might be worth to get your setup consistent in one or other
way. :)

That said, it might be interresting to see what "ypcat passwd"
really prints, as you have - as I can only guess - problems logging
in as one of the NIS users.

Problems there are either non-DES encrypted password from your
NIS server or no proper home (not there at all, NFS problem, ...).


> /etc/resolv.conf has on top:
> lookup yp dns

You do not need this. (Is there documentation saying so? if so, let
me know where to weed that out :)


> I can su from root to other nis-users.
...
> I guess that this problem has something to do with the passwords or their
> cryptmethod.

Smells much like it. Please give more data, see above.


 - Hubert