Make DNS try harder?

[Nifty Hat Mitch]

On Fri, Dec 17, 2004 at 10:35:18AM -0500, Paul Tomblin wrote:
> 
> I run a local nameserver so that I can reach the other machines on my
> network by name.  After upgrading to FC3 from RedHat 9, I'm finding
> frequent cases where a DNS lookup fails, but doing it again
> immediately works. ....
....
> - the "wget --spider" I run every hour to check that my web site
> hosted on another system frequently reports that the other system is
> down,

If it 'works the second time' you can precede the wget with some dig/
host/ nslookup checks and a couple second pause to prime the local
nameserver cache and eliminate some false errors.

I suspect that some real issue is under this.  You may have an expired
DHCP lease and the traffic triggers a reconnect.  After the reconnect
you are OK.  The delay may be short and transparent enough that normal
actions do not fail.

You may have other  name server problems.  You need to debug these in
isolation.  The order of name servers and the list of hints for
forwarders in your local name server may need to be polished.

You might use tethereal to snoop packets.  Be sure to turn
off name resolution so that Heisenberg does not get in the act.


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