Question : DNS fails to resolve URLs.  NSLookup gives "DNS request timed out"

Hi,
The basic problem, that I would like to solve is: people in the office are unable to browse the internet.  This has been going on for 24 hrs.  The setup is an office with Win2K machines using a 2000 server as their DHCP server.  The server itself has provided me with the following info:

From a command prompt:

Pinging sites such as www.google.com gives "unknown host www.google.com"
Pinging the ip address works just fine.

NSlookup gives:
>www.google.com
Server: uk-dc-01.uk.cadomain.local
Address: 172.16.127.21

DNS request timed out.
  timeout was 2 seconds.
*** Request to uk-dc-01.uk.cadomain.local timed-out
>

I have done the following to try and fix this:
stopped and started DNS on the server, changed the DNS search order, done ipconfig /flushdns, ipconfig /registerdns, and have added the server name to its own reverse lookup table, just in case. So far nothing helps.

Setting  the server in nslookup to a remote dns server provided by the isp gives the following:
> server 141.1.1.1
DNS request timed out.
 timeout was 2 seconds.
Default server: [141.1.1.1]
Address: 141.1.1.1

>www.google.com
Server: [141.1.1.1]
Adress: 141.1.1.1

DNS request timed out.
 timeout was 2 seconds.
DNS request timed out.
 timeout was 2 seconds.
*** Request to [141.1.1.1] timed out
>

Any clues on where to next will be gratefully received.
Thanks,
Pete

Answer : DNS fails to resolve URLs.  NSLookup gives "DNS request timed out"

Hi
You need to have a look at this first then. Make sure you have the reverse lookup zone configured correctly, and enable it to accept dynamic updates. Then ipconfig /registerdns will work.
"DNS Request Timed Out" Error Message When You Start Nslookup From a Command Line
http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=KB;EN-US;Q242906&
Your reverse dns will be in the form of  
0.168.192.in-addr.arpa for a network 192.168.0.

Can the server access the internet? Is this the only server in the domain or are there other dc's. Also are they all win 2k based?

Or is it just the clients that are having trouble. If that's the case make sure the clients primary dns server (and only dns server) is your servers ip. I'd also take the extra remote vpn server out of the forwarders list, as the server directs any dns queries that it can't resolve to the servers in the forwarders list. Only leave your isp's dns servers in there. Make sure both forward and reverse zones are ad-integrated and can accept dynamic updates.

It sounds like your physical link is working as you can ping externally by ip.
Also just in case - though last resort. If there were major problems with dns I would expect there to have been errors and there haven't, which is why I still suspect a configuration problem.
How to Reinstall a Dynamic DNS Active Directory- Integrated Zone
http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;en-us;294328
I would still check that your firewall hasn't been changed and the neceesary traffic is permitted.

Unfortunately I'm away tomorrow so I can't help after that, but I'm certain there are others who will help. If it goes quiet, try a pointer question in the general networking forum - the more help the better,

Deb :))