setting up bind for the first time.

[Enkhbold. G]

Hello, Andrew, 

>[root at cr562753-a named]# nslookup 24.157.15.174 
>*** Can't find server name for address 24.157.15.174: No response from 
>server 
>*** Default servers are not available 

This error mainly mistake your host name or missed config.You made some mistake below: 

>named.conf 
> 
>logging { 
>        category cname { null; }; 
>}; 
> 
>options { 
>        directory "/var/named"; 
>        }; 
>}; 
> 
>zone "." { 
>        type hint; 
>        file "named.ca"; 
>}; 
>zone "e-webmentor.com" { 
>        type master; 
>        file "e-webmentor.com"; 
>}; 

Domain name does NOT same as database name.You should correct it like as e-webmentor.db or db.e-webmentor etc. 

>zone "15.157.24.IN-ADDR.ARPA" { 
>        type master; 
>        file "24.157.15"; 
>}; 
> 
> 
>zone "0.0.127.in-addr.arpa" { 
>        type master; 
>        file "named.local"; 
>}; 
>*************************************************** 
>e-webmentor.com 
> 
> 
>; Authoritative data for ns1.e-webmentor.com 
>; 
>@       IN SOA e-webmentor.com postmaster.e-webmentor.com. ( 
>                                        2001042400 ; Serial number 
>                                        10800      ; Refresh 3 hours 
>                                        3600       ; Retry 1 hour 
>                                        3600000    ; Expire 1000 hours 
>                                        86400 )    ; Minimum 24 hours 
>                IN      NS              ns1.e-webmentor.com 
>                IN      A               24.157.15.174 
>e-webmentor     IN      A               24.157.15.174 
>                IN      MX      10      MAIL.OEMMAIL.COM 
>THEMAIL         IN      CNAME           web.oemmail.com 
>                IN      HINFO   PC-586  LINUX 
>localhost       IN      A               127.0.0.1 

Here you missed ns1 record!. You must add main line like as: 
ns1              IN      A               24.157.15.174 
If you add this line, you should double check your host name of server. 
You said: 
>I've tried as my host name with my ISP which is cr562753-a and e->webmentor.com. 
So, I'm not sure, but you confused your host name and domain name. Please check it on network configuration. 

>***************************************************************** 
>24.157.15 
> 
>; reverse mapping of domain names 15.157.24.in-addr.arpa 
>; 
>@       IN SOA ns1.e-webmentor.com postmaster.e-webmentor.com. ( 
>                                2001042400 ; Serial (yymmddxx format) 
>                                10800      ; Refresh 3 hours 
>                                3600       ; Retry 1 hour 
>                                3600000    ; Expire 1000 hours 
>                                86400 )    ; Minimum 24 hours 
>@                       IN      NS      ns1.e-webmentor.com 
>174.15.157.24           IN      PTR     e-webmentor.com 
>********************************************************************* 

You shouldn't use full IP for reverse name above. This means like as: 
174                      IN      PTR     ns1.yourDNShostname.domain. 

>named.local 
> 
> 
>@       IN      SOA     localhost. root.localhost.  ( 
>                                      2001042400 ; Serial 
>                                      28800      ; Refresh 
>                                      14400      ; Retry 
>                                      3600000    ; Expire 
>                                      86400 )    ; Minimum 
>              IN      NS      e-webmentor.com. 

Also you must replace it: 
               IN      NS      ns1.e-webmentor.com. 

> 
>1       IN      PTR     localhost. 
> 
> 

Best Regards, 
Enkhbold 
System Engineer 
Email: admin_nic at datacom.mn