Root DNS Server Issues?

Forgive me for being a DNS clunkhead. <g> I honestly don't
know much about it, but I thought I'd post this to the list
because it did appear to be a problem with the root servers,
which would be A Bad Thing (tm).

Probable dumb question: if I do an nslookup from a desktop
directed at a root server, should the name eventually resolve?
Or, is a request to a root server from our DNS server a
different kind of request? I have a feeling it is and that I'm
barking up the wrong tree.

That might explain why an nslookup directed at someone else's
name server is working.

Still, that would lead us back to the original problem. Our
DNS server can't communicate with the root servers. Hmm..

Again, I apologize for being a total noob at this. I believe
that I'm misunderstanding the symptoms and using the wrong
tools to troubleshoot!

Thanks to all,
John

Root servers don't resolve names other than the TLD's.

OTW they don't have data for www.yahoo.com only for .com
which will point you towards the gTLD servers (listed below)
which will point you towards Yahoo's name servers.

What names are you trying to lookup ?

John Brown
Le Geek

> We're getting responses from the root servers, the names

just

> aren't resolving. From a windows NT machine the error

is "Non-

> existent Domain".
>
> Ah, I just noticed something. The packet length for the

DNS

> response is supposed to be 510 bytes but it's being

truncated

> to 128. What the heck would cause that??
>
> John
>
>
> >
> >
> > Here is for L, F also seems to reply. Tested from 8

different

> > places on the net. OTW Transit splay on the test was 8
> different
> > providers.
> >
> >
> >
> > Can you give a sample of the "errors" you are seeing?
> >
> > Got a sample DIG line ??
> >
> > John Brown
> > Le Geek
> >
> >
> >
> > %dig @l.root-servers.net com ns
> >
> > ; <<>> DiG 8.3 <<>> @l.root-servers.net com ns
> > ; (1 server found)
> > ;; res options: init recurs defnam dnsrch
> > ;; got answer:
> > ;; ->>HEADER<<- opcode: QUERY, status: NOERROR, id: 6
> > ;; flags: qr rd; QUERY: 1, ANSWER: 13, AUTHORITY: 0,
> ADDITIONAL: 13
> > ;; QUERY SECTION:
> > ;; com, type = NS, class = IN
> >
> > ;; ANSWER SECTION:
> > com. 2D IN NS L.GTLD-

SERVERS.NET.

> > com. 2D IN NS F.GTLD-

SERVERS.NET.

> > com. 2D IN NS J.GTLD-

SERVERS.NET.

> > com. 2D IN NS K.GTLD-

SERVERS.NET.

> > com. 2D IN NS E.GTLD-

SERVERS.NET.

> > com. 2D IN NS M.GTLD-

SERVERS.NET.

> > com. 2D IN NS A.GTLD-

SERVERS.NET.

> > com. 2D IN NS G.GTLD-

SERVERS.NET.

> > com. 2D IN NS H.GTLD-

SERVERS.NET.

> > com. 2D IN NS C.GTLD-

SERVERS.NET.

> > com. 2D IN NS I.GTLD-

SERVERS.NET.

> > com. 2D IN NS B.GTLD-

SERVERS.NET.

> > com. 2D IN NS D.GTLD-

SERVERS.NET.

> >
> > ;; ADDITIONAL SECTION:
> > L.GTLD-SERVERS.NET. 2D IN A 192.41.162.30
> > F.GTLD-SERVERS.NET. 2D IN A 192.35.51.30
> > J.GTLD-SERVERS.NET. 2D IN A 192.48.79.30
> > K.GTLD-SERVERS.NET. 2D IN A 192.52.178.30
> > E.GTLD-SERVERS.NET. 2D IN A 192.12.94.30
> > M.GTLD-SERVERS.NET. 2D IN A 192.55.83.30
> > A.GTLD-SERVERS.NET. 2D IN A 192.5.6.30
> > G.GTLD-SERVERS.NET. 2D IN A 192.42.93.30
> > H.GTLD-SERVERS.NET. 2D IN A 192.54.112.30
> > C.GTLD-SERVERS.NET. 2D IN A 192.26.92.30
> > I.GTLD-SERVERS.NET. 2D IN A 192.43.172.30
> > B.GTLD-SERVERS.NET. 2D IN A 192.33.14.30
> > D.GTLD-SERVERS.NET. 2D IN A 192.31.80.30
> >
> > ;; Total query time: 89 msec
> > ;; FROM: jedi.staff.chagres.net to SERVER: l.root-
> servers.net 198.32.64.12
> > ;; WHEN: Tue Oct 1 17:29:36 2002
> > ;; MSG SIZE sent: 21 rcvd: 453
> >
> > %
> > >
> > > We seem to be getting name resolution errors when we

query

> any
> > > of the root servers, and this just started a hour or so

ago.

Don't worry about being a DNS clunkhead. Though some on this list
will banish you for trying to learn.

The root servers are non-recursive. Otherwords they only
answer for what they know.

WHat you are asking for is a server to be recursive in its
answer to your query. This is what a ISP"s server will do.

What OS is your DNS server running ?

If its a Unix version, then I could help via the phone if you
would like. write me back privately with contact data.

John Brown
Le Geek