/etc/resolv.conf changes

[Aaron Konstam]

On Mon, 2008-03-24 at 12:49 -0700, vincenzo romero wrote:
> Hello all,
> 
> I'm getting frustrated attempting to understand; I googled and asked
> folks and am unable to get a straight answer.
> 
> 1.  How is the /etc/resolv.conf file maintained ?  I do not seem to
> get a consistent result when I save resolv.conf configuration from GUI
> or by hand using vim /etc/resolv.conf.
> 
> a.  Sometimes I the entries toggles between the two entries:
> 
> # generated by NetworkManager, do not edit!
> ; Use a local caching nameserver controlled by NetworkManager
> nameserver 127.0.0.1
> 
> b.  then when I restart the network services some the /etc/resolv.conf
> file appears like this:
> # generated by NetworkManager, do not edit!
> ; Use a local caching nameserver controlled by NetworkManager
> search lab.mycompany.com
> nameserver 192.168.17.2
> 
> This host is:
> 
> - a DNS server that is authoritative for its domain within the
> 192.168.16/20 network
> - I believe that even as DNS server, this host should have its
> resolv.conf file configured to define itself as a DNS server, right?
> 
> I apologize for the naive questions, but I am a newbie and am unable
> to gather a straightforward answer.
> 
> thanks in advance.
You really can't edit /etc/resolv.conf when you are using a DNS server.
When you are connected to the network it is the DNS nameserver that sets
up the resolv.conf file. In the first case above:
# generated by NetworkManager, do not edit!
> ; Use a local caching nameserver controlled by NetworkManager
> nameserver 127.0.0.1

you has not yet made a connection to the internet.