Ubuntu 10.04 static DNS server

Had to do a reverse drop-in replacement for a Ubuntu computer - reverse in the sense that I'm not dropping in any part - instead I got an identically configured computer and just dropped in the hard drive.  Pretty much everything just worked, except the network settings.  Ubuntu by default added a new interface (I'm using wired connection) since it saw a new MAC.  So I had to apply the static config from the old interface to the new one.  Again most of it just worked, but DNS didn't - I added the server address to the IPv4 config via Network Manager (editing resolve.conf actually gave the same result), but it still couldn't resolve names.  I tried networkng restart, which also did nothing.  So I just used the Network-manager applet to disconnect then reconnect, and DNS started working.  I wonder if there's a command line way to apply static DNS info?