Hi guys, I am trying to setup a DNS service I used the bind tool to setup the forward and reverse zones. After starting the dns service and testing with the nslookup utility, sometimes it works fine for one day, next day it doesn't. I don't know why, could you help. I hate this error message: ** server can't find learning.linux.com.: SERVFAIL I always got that error message! Here is the output from the nslookup: [root@learning /root]# nslookup 192.168.1.30 Note: nslookup is deprecated and may be removed from future releases. Consider using the `dig' or `host' programs instead. Run nslookup with the `-sil[ent]' option to prevent this message from appearing. Server: 192.168.1.30 Address: 192.168.1.30#53 30.1.168.192.in-addr.arpa name = learning.linux.com. [root@learning /root]# nslookup linux.com. Note: nslookup is deprecated and may be removed from future releases. Consider using the `dig' or `host' programs instead. Run nslookup with the `-sil[ent]' option to prevent this message from appearing. Server: 192.168.1.30 Address: 192.168.1.30#53 ** server can't find learning.linux.com.: SERVFAIL [root@learning /root]# nslookup learning.linux.com Note: nslookup is deprecated and may be removed from future releases. Consider using the `dig' or `host' programs instead. Run nslookup with the `-sil[ent]' option to prevent this message from appearing. Server: 192.168.1.30 Address: 192.168.1.30#53 ** server can't find learning.linux.com.: SERVFAIL If you come accross this problem and know how to solve it please help. I have searched from the internet, forums, and books and could not solve it. One question, do I need to put the domainname and alias in the file hosts under /etc/hosts ? I found that if I put the domain name and nickname in the hosts file and then test with the nslookup it shows dns name service works fine; however, other machine in the same network could not see it. I don't know why, if you knew it please help. Do I need to put anything in file resolv.conf? Many thanks. Hoa