NSLOOKUP Returns Time-out Error When Query for an MX Record

ID: Q198551

The information in this article applies to:

Microsoft Windows NT Server, Enterprise Edition version 4.0
Microsoft Windows NT Server version 4.0
Microsoft Windows NT Workstation version 4.0
Microsoft BackOffice Small Business Server versions 4.0, 4.0a

SYMPTOMS

If you use Nslookup.exe to query for a Mail Exchanger record (MX), it may fail with the following error:

*** Request to <dnsserver.example.microsoft.com> timed-out

NOTE: <dnsserver.example.microsoft.com> is the host name of the DNS server you are querying.

CAUSE

If the DNS server that you are querying has an MX record in the DNS zone similar to


   domainname.example.microsoft.com.    MX    10    192.168.1.1

you may see the error mentioned above.

RESOLUTION

Change the MX record to point to a host name that will then, in turn, resolve to the same IP address. For example, in the domainname.com zone, make the following change:


   domainname.example.microsoft.com. MX 10 host1.domainname.example.microsoft.com
   host1                             A  192.168.1.1

STATUS

This behavior is by design. According to RFC 974:

Each MX matches a domain name with two pieces of data, a preference value (an unsigned 16-bit integer), and the name of a host.

Keywords :
Version : winnt:4.0,4.0a
Platform : winnt
Issue type : kbprb