Step 5: Defining TCP/IP domain

After specifying the routing entries, you need to define the local domain and host names to allow communication within the network, and then use a DNS server to associate the IP addresses with the host names.

The local domain and host name is the primary name associated with your system. They are required when you set up other network applications, such as e-mail.

If you want to use easily remembered names rather than IP addresses, you must use either a DNS server, or a host table, or both to resolve IP addresses. You must configure the host name search priority to tell the system which method you prefer to use.

To define TCP/IP domain, follow these steps:

On the command line, type CFGTCP (Configure TCP/IP command) and press Enter to access the Configure TCP/IP menu.
Select Option 12 (Change TCP/IP domain information), and then press Enter.
At the Host name prompt, specify the name you defined for your local host name.
At the Domain name prompt, specify the names you defined for your local domain name.
At the Host name search priority prompt, set the value in one of the following ways:
- Set the value to *REMOTE (recommended). This determines that the system automatically searches the host names in a DNS server first. The system queries each DNS server until it gets an answer.
- Set the value to *LOCAL. This determines that the system searches the host names in a host table first.
Note: If the host name search priority is set to *LOCAL, you must define a host table entry for your system. See Step 6: Defining a host table for details.
At the Domain name server prompt, specify the IP address that represents your DNS server, and then press Enter.

After defining the TCP/IP domain information, you can use either the character-based interface or System i® Navigator to change the configurations.