[mdlug] Debian 6 DNS not resolving

[Stan Green]

The interfaces file for the static IP is (minus comment lines):
auto lo
iface lo inet loopback
allow-hotplug eth0
iface eth0 inet static
       address 192.168.0.84 
       gateway 192.168.0.254
       netmask 255.255.255.0
       network 192.168.1.0
       broadcast 192.168.0.255
       dns-nameservers 192.168.1.254

The interfaces file for the DHCP is (minus comment lines):
auto lo
iface lo inet loopback
allow-hotplug eth0
iface eth0 inet dhcp

This all works fine in Debian 5. It is only Debian 6 and Knoppix 6.x that have 
the issue.

Now, I did find an interesting twist. Since the modem gets it settings via DHCP, 
I don't hard code them in the  resolv.conf as they could change. I just let the 
ISP set the DNS server through DHCP. This is why the system is set up to pass 
through the DSL modem. So just for fun, I found the current DNS servers that 
were being provided by DHCP. When I put those IP address in resolv.conf and all 
is fine. So, I now know the issue is in how Debian 6 (Debian 5 workswith this 
configuration.) communicates with the DSL modem. I can live with the hard 
coding for now, but would like to get away from it some day.

Now, I just need to find out what changed between 5 and 6 that affects how DNS 
is communicates between the PC and the DSL modem. 

Any ideas on where to start?

Thanks,
Stan

On Sunday 10 April 2011 11:46:19 am Robert J. Clay wrote:
> Stan,
>
> On Fri, Apr 8, 2011 at 10:47 PM, Stan Green <Stan at mcomputersolutions.com> 
wrote:
> > resolv.conf:
> > nameserver 192.168.1.254
> >
> > This is the same as on all my Linux PC's.
>
>     That's on both the statically & dynamically set network
> configurations?    Have you tried adding the IPs of other DNS servers
> there?  (I use the "dns-nameservers" keyword in
> /etc/network/interfaces to set that...) The info about what the router
> itself uses for DNS should be available there on the router...
>
> > but that is how it is set up for my AT&T DSL.
>
>     Ah, perhaps something for me to keep an eye on when I convert;  my
> current cable ISP (which is going away altogether) is going to be
> replaced by AT&T Uverse, which just became available in my area...