DNS resolution problem

[Andy Green]

Tim wrote:
> Andy Green:
>>> Why not try running your own DNS lookups, it's pretty easy with Fedora.
>>>
>>> yum install bind caching-nameserver
>>> echo "nameserver 127.0.0.1" >/etc/resolv.conf
> 
> There may be other things in the resolv.conf files that ought to remain
> there, that line will wipe them out.  Also, the resolv.conf file may get
> changed by dynamic network scripting.

That's true.  Use # to comment things out and add

nameserver 127.0.0.1

if that's the case.  But any crapped-upon additional things shouldn't 
stop it working as a generic nameserver for non-local boxes.

>> I tried this with no success.
>>
>> Is there a need to make local zone files specific to local domain?  I 
>> have read that some setups require a local.zone file with the local 
>> domain name.
> 
> You only have to add zone records if you want your name server to
> respond to those queries.  You can continue to use your hosts file for
> local machine names, if you want.

Yeah you don't need to set anything else up to use it as a caching 
nameserver that looks up direct to the root servers.  This is very handy 
if you have overloaded or broken ISP nameservers.

In addition to dig use tcpdump while you do a nameserver query and see 
what is flying around.

-Andy