DNS Server not working. Start Time "Not Available"

using dig I get the exact same result as nslookup.

When I click the "log" tab in the DNS service in Server Admin, the only entry is "logfile turned over" (with today's date). I've had this issue for a long time, even though I have the "Log Level" set to "Debug" (which should give the most detailed logging right?).

Thanks for suggestion re: using only local DNS servers on the LAN. I definitely have been meaning to bring in an expert to audit my DNS setup!

Thanks for that link. It looks about at my level so I'll have a read tonight. I am on 10.6.8

Here's what I got back from the command you suggested (looks like all of these are just ports starting with "53" - confirming that DNS is not running?)

mDNSRespo 36 _mdnsresponder 8u IPv4 0xffffff800fe25980 0t0 UDP *:5353

mDNSRespo 36 _mdnsresponder 9u IPv6 0xffffff800fe25840 0t0 UDP *:5353

mDNSRespo 36 _mdnsresponder 50u IPv4 0xffffff8012030c00 0t0 UDP *:53697

mDNSRespo 36 _mdnsresponder 51u IPv6 0xffffff8012030340 0t0 UDP *:53697

Python 50 _jabber 4u IPv4 0xffffff8012cc4da8 0t0 TCP localhost:49277->localhost:5347 (ESTABLISHED)

Python 75 _jabber 3u IPv4 0xffffff8010120a08 0t0 TCP localhost:49177->localhost:5347 (ESTABLISHED)

resolver 406 _jabber 4u IPv4 0xffffff8012970418 0t0 TCP localhost:49172->localhost:5347 (ESTABLISHED)

sm 407 _jabber 5u IPv4 0xffffff80129727b8 0t0 TCP localhost:49170->localhost:5347 (ESTABLISHED)

router 408 _jabber 4u IPv4 0xffffff80127621c8 0t0 TCP localhost:5347 (LISTEN)

router 408 _jabber 5u IPv4 0xffffff80127615e8 0t0 TCP localhost:5347->localhost:49166 (ESTABLISHED)

router 408 _jabber 6u IPv4 0xffffff8012760a08 0t0 TCP localhost:5347->localhost:49167 (ESTABLISHED)

router 408 _jabber 7u IPv4 0xffffff80127627b8 0t0 TCP localhost:5347->localhost:49168 (ESTABLISHED)

router 408 _jabber 8u IPv4 0xffffff80129721c8 0t0 TCP localhost:5347->localhost:49170 (ESTABLISHED)

router 408 _jabber 9u IPv4 0xffffff8012abfda8 0t0 TCP localhost:5347->localhost:49172 (ESTABLISHED)

router 408 _jabber 10u IPv4 0xffffff8012abe5e8 0t0 TCP localhost:5347->localhost:49177 (ESTABLISHED)

router 408 _jabber 11u IPv4 0xffffff8012cc47b8 0t0 TCP localhost:5347->localhost:49277 (ESTABLISHED)

c2s 409 _jabber 4u IPv4 0xffffff8012760ff8 0t0 TCP localhost:49167->localhost:5347 (ESTABLISHED)

mu-confer 410 _jabber 6u IPv4 0xffffff8011d14a08 0t0 TCP localhost:49168->localhost:5347 (ESTABLISHED)

s2s 411 _jabber 4u IPv4 0xffffff8012761bd8 0t0 TCP localhost:49166->localhost:5347 (ESTABLISHED)

I do have a "LIPS" (ha) but emphasis on the L this time it seems. I actually just realized that this problem started over a week ago when one machine stopped being able to connect to file sharing with the domain name. I guess all the others had the correct DNS cached until the blackout forced everyone to restart.

I did set the log level to "Debug" in Server Admin, but I still don't get any entries in named.log. Other than "log file turned over". It seems the log file is archived every day and 5 days are kept. Every one simply has the one entry "log file turned over"

However when I click "All messages" in Console, and type "named" in the filter by, I do see lots of relevent data, and this happens every 10 seconds!

So I removed 192.168.7.* from the "Accept recursive queries from the following networks" box in Server Admin, and now it seems everything works.

I added that entry 4 months ago! I think I had added the entry while trying to get my remote office IP phones working with the name server, but it never solved the problem and the phones still refuse to use the name server.

Anyway, my immediate problem is solved. thank you so much! I'll check out your reading materials tonight and see if I can figure out the less urgent phone issues!