1. Use the ping command with the remote system's TCP/IP address -- for example, ping 192.9.200.1. If this is unsuccessful, the TCP/IP software isn't properly installed and configured. TCP/IP must be working before you can use it. Contact the TCP/IP software vendor or operating system vendor if you need assistance.

2. Use the ping command with the FQDN of the remote server -- for example, ping mail05.boston.acme.com. If this is unsuccessful, the host-name-to-IP-address translation isn't working. If you can't ping by host name, the server or workstation will not be able to communicate with the server running on the remote system.

3. If you use a local hosts file, make sure that it contains the server name and IP address of every IBM® Lotus® Domino® server with which you want to communicate.

4. If you use DNS, make sure that you have properly configured the TCP/IP software on this system to query the correct DNS server. Make sure that your DNS records include the server name and IP address of every Domino server with which you want to communicate.

Note Make sure that your IP host names do not contain illegal characters such as spaces, underscores, or ampersands.

6. Depending on your name-resolution practices, do one of the following:

• If your Domino server names are the same as the DNS host names, make sure you have followed the instructions in the following topics:
• Ensuring DNS resolves on Windows systems
• Ensuring DNS resolves in NRCP
• Ensuring DNS resolves in advanced TCP/IP configurations
• If your Domino server names are different from the DNS host names, use the ping command to verify that all of the DNS names which represent the Domino server are responding from the correct network areas, as well as the Domino server name, if needed.
• If you are using IP addresses in Connection documents, use the ping command to verify the IP address itself.
• If you are using network address translation (NAT), verify that access is possible from both the internal network and external Internet using the appropriate IP addresses. If you are using name-resolver services, make sure that the external DNS offers out the public address and the internal DNS offers out the private address.

Ensuring DNS resolves in advanced TCP/IP configurations
Ensuring DNS resolves in NRPC -- A practice to use with caution
Ensuring DNS resolves on Windows systems -- All TCP protocols
Ensuring DNS resolves in NRPC -- Alternative practices
Ensuring DNS resolves in NRPC -- Best practices

Glossary