TCP/IP Connections Introduction User Modes Connect Via... Addressing Subnet Masks Config Router Address DNS Search Paths Hosts File 802.3 Saving Configs Troubleshooting Tools For More Info Glossary updated: 08/11/97

Search Paths Your network administrator or Internet Service Provider should be able to give you the IP address of at least two domain name servers that you can use (you can use only one, but its preferable to have two, in case one becomes unreachable). These IP addresses are entered in the TCP/IP control panel, in a list, with the most reliable/closest dns servers first. When you try to resolve a name, a query will be submitted to the server at the top of the list first, and then it will work down from there (for example, if the top server is unreachable). But before a query can be submitted to the DNS server, it must be a "fully-qualified" domain name, which means it must contain both the name of the host, and the name of the host's domain. For example, "jasper.austin.apple.com" is a fully-qualified domain name, referring to a host (or machine) named "jasper", which lives in the "austin.apple.com" domain ("austin" is a subdomain of the larger "apple.com" domain). But nothing will stop you from trying to open a connection using only "jasper". If you do so, an attempt will be made to complete the name by appending a domain name to it. You can enter in the TCP/IP control panel the names of search domains, which will be appended to "jasper", or any other unqualified domain name. With these settings, when you try to connect to "Jasper", names will be submitted for resolution in the following order, until the name is resolved: jasper.esa.austin.apple.com (the starting domain) jasper.austin.apple.com (dropping one subdomain). jasper.apple.com (dropping another subdomain, till "ending" domain name is reached). jasper.texas.net (the "additional" search name). Each name is submitted to each of the name servers listed, in order, until the name is resolved, or until the possibilities have been exhausted. [Intro |UserModes |ConnectVia |Addressing |Subnet Masks |Config|Routers ]DNS |Search Paths |Hosts File ]802.3 ]Saving Configs ]Troubleshooting ]Tools ]More Info ]Glossary ]