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From: Robert Bonomi <bonomi@mail.r-bonomi.com>
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To: freebsd-questions@freebsd.org, tundra@tundraware.com
Subject: Re: OT: What Might Break getbostbyname() ?
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> From owner-freebsd-questions@freebsd.org  Wed Jan 16 22:08:13 2013
> Date: Wed, 16 Jan 2013 22:04:15 -0600
> From: Tim Daneliuk <tundra@tundraware.com>
> To: FreeBSD Mailing List <freebsd-questions@freebsd.org>
> Subject: OT: What Might Break getbostbyname() ?
>
> This is not really a FreeBSD problem ... in fact, it's happening on
> a Solaris 10 machine. But because the TCP stack and its userland
> interface came from BSD, I am hoping some kind soul might have
> an insight into what's going on ...
>
> The machine in question does DNS lookups fine via dig or nslookup.
> I believe these connect directly to the DNS server(s) specified
> in /etc/resolv.conf.
>
> However, any program that uses gethostbyname() - like ping - fails
> and says it cannot resolve the name.
>
> I'm looking for hints here on why or how gethostbyname() and/or
> the network stack could get clobbered so as to not be able to talk
> to the DNS servers which I know are reachable via dig and nslookup.

dig and nslookup use THEIR OWN resolver routines, =not= the 'standard
library' routines.  Something that fouls the library routines will not
affect dig and nslookup.

Given this is Solaris, check /etc/nis.switch (may not be the exactly
correct name, but close -- I haven't used Solaris in a decade). check
both the file content, and permissions.

You may have to run truss on ping to see what it's getting wrong.