Mac G5 can't see local apache server

[ndoggfromhell]

I've got 1 solo G5 at work that needs to see the Windows 2003 server running Apache. Currently all the Windows boxes can see it by just typing it's netbios name in the IE address bar. The G5 however doesn't work like that. I can see it if i use it's IP address, but that's not acceptable cause the apache page is looking for it's name (not ip address) I added WINS service to the 2k3 box and set it up as a wins server. Added WINS lookup to the G5, but it still doesn't see the server by netbios name. What am i missing?

 

[n0cmonkey]

Use DNS.

 

[Pantlegz]

Originally posted by: n0cmonkey
Use DNS.

+1 it is your friend

 

[ndoggfromhell]

Could you elaborate? do i put the windows 2003 server as the dns server? is there a setting in OSX i need to adjust?

 

[Pantlegz]

it would be easiest if the 2wk3 server were DNS, and if you're doing DHCP do it there too, and have it serve it's IP as DNS otherwise set the DNS on the mac to whatever the server is. Thats about all there is to it, I think. I'm not too fimilar with mac's but I know they killed appletalk at some point so the tcp/ip setting should be similar to a real computer.

 

[ndoggfromhell]

Tried that, still no luck. If you just type the name of the computer in an Internet Explorer window on a PC, it works. On this Mac, it will not work by name, it has to have the IP Address and it simply won't work that way.

The Mac has a static IP address (so the firewall doesn't bother it with Antivirus), and the Win2k3 server isn't running DNS and i'd prefer it not to.

 

[Pantlegz]

well then, I dont' think this will work. Unless you can find some sort of NETBIOS app for a mac. that or if they work with iptables like linux you might be able to get that to work, but I highly doubt it will. Or possibly run DNS on the mac and do a manually enter the name to resolve the IP.

Also, using wk2k3 as DNS you would have to do machinename.FQDN not just the NETBIOS name. the same if the mac were DNS.

 

[n0cmonkey]

Add the host IP and hostname you want to the hosts (/etc/hosts) file on the Mac. Follow the format there. Poor man's dns.

 

[Pantlegz]

^^ someone knows more about OSX than me that's basically iptables, right?

 

[n0cmonkey]

Originally posted by: Pantlegz1
^^ someone knows more about OSX than me that's basically iptables, right?

No, /etc/hosts exists on most (all?) unix and unix-like systems. It's kind of a precursor to DNS. You can manually add in hosts and IPs to be resolved without running bind or similar software. It's in Windows too (c:\windows\system32\hosts.txt or something like that).

No iptables on OS X, I think it ships with ipfw.