Matthias Scheler wrote:

>>- why is NIS database queries done with local accounts?
> 
> What does your "/etc/nsswitch.conf" look like?

I've not modified that file so it looks like this:

group:          compat
group_compat:   nis
hosts:          files dns
netgroup:       files [notfound=return] nis
networks:       files
passwd:         compat
passwd_compat:  nis
shells:         files

I also have +::::::::: as the last line in /etc/master.passwd
and +::: in /etc/group.

I tested this on a similar NIS client (NetBSD/i386 2.0.2): I removed
the + lines and put this instead of the existing group, group_compat,
passwd and passwd_compat entries:

group:          files nis
passwd:		files nis

Then I disconnected the network cable and tried to login as root
but I'm still getting these NIS related (yp_something) timeouts so
clearly NIS is used even with root logins. What am I doing wrong?

>>- why isn't the NIS calls timing out?
> 
> Because it is supposed not to. Imagine your e-mail server can now longer
> talk to the NIS server and starts bouncing e-mails because it doesn't
> know the accounts any longer.

Ok, sounds reasonable.

Martti