GET Request using Host Header Value not IP Address

To be more specific, here is generally what I have done. SharePoint Web Application host header: xxxportal Web Application URL: http://xxxportal AAM: Public: http://xxxportal Internal http://xxxportal

DNS entry xxxportal.rest of fqdn pointing to xxx.xx.xx.110 (Virtual IP of the pool)

I know this is one of those foot bone connected to ankle bone, ankle bone connected to leg bone, leg bone ..... and I am just missing a piece or two.

I have not added any Alternate access mappings to this point. Should I have?

Thanks for listening. ==Lee

I am accessing this all through a VPN that uses an F5 webtop. That is why I put an entry into my local host file in the first place. The local entry is xxxportal and I have tried pointing it to .110 but that does not work.

Thanks for your patience and any help. ==Lee