NIS Troubleshooting

The rpcinfo command provides a list of TCP ports that your NIS client or server is using. Make sure you can TELNET to these ports from the client to the server and vice versa. If this fails, make sure all the correct NIS daemons are running and that there are no firewalls blocking traffic on the network or on the servers themselves. These ports change from time to time, so memorizing them won't help much.

The example tests from the client to the server:

[root@bigboy tmp]# rpcinfo -p
    program vers proto    port
     100000    2   tcp    111   portmapper
     100000    2   udp    111   portmapper
     100024    1   udp  32768   status
     100024    1   tcp  32768   status
     391002    2   tcp  32769   sgi_fam
     100009    1   udp   1018   yppasswdd
     100004    2   udp    611   ypserv
     100004    1   udp    611   ypserv
     100004    2   tcp    614   ypserv
     100004    1   tcp    614   ypserv
     100007    2   udp    855   ypbind
     100007    1   udp    855   ypbind
     100007    2   tcp    858   ypbind
     100007    1   tcp    858   ypbind
  600100069    1   udp    874   fypxfrd
  600100069    1   tcp    876   fypxfrd
[root@bigboy tmp]#


[root@smallfry tmp]# telnet 192.168.1.100 858
Trying 10.41.32.71...
Connected to 10.41.32.71.
Escape character is '^]'.
^]
telnet> quit
Connection closed.
[root@smallfry tmp]#

Always use the ypmatch, getent, and ypwhich commands to check your NIS connectivity. If there is any failure, check your steps over again and you should be able to find the source of your problem.

Do not fail to create a user's home directory, set its permissions, and copy the /etc/skel files correctly. If you forget, which is a common error, your users may have incorrect login prompts and no ability to create files in their home directories.