Do you have an /etc/nsswitch.conf file which is misconfigured somehow?
Check that it has something like this in it.

hosts:          files [notfound=continue] dns


I'm not sure what error you would get if it isn't right, but always worth
a look

Regards
Nigel


On Wed, Jun 27, 2001 at 08:36:56PM -0500, Michael Owens wrote:
> This is an ebarassing question, but I am stuck. I am just starting out with 
> NetBSD using 1.5 CDs I ordered from Wasabi. I've configured the network 
> properly, except for name resolution. Despite my specifying the name servers 
> in the installation utility and manually in resolv.conf, I can't get the 
> system to resolve. I configured resolv.conf like I do every other system, and 
> checked all NetBSD docs, but it still does not work. I can ping outside the 
> network, but cannot get name resolution. My resolv.conf is simple:
> 
> nameserver 216.140.16.254
> nameserver 216.140.17.254
> domain c21mb.com
> 
> I have FreeBSD and OpenBSD systems using these same DNS servers.
> 
> nslookup complains about not being able to get the servername for these and 
> bails, but I have no problem with other systems using them. They are up and 
> running, and I can ping them.
> 
> Surely I've missed something, I just don't know what. I'd really like to 
> start using NetBSD, so any help would be greatly appreciated. I know this is 
> a basic question, but this is where I am stuck.
> 

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