[HOWTO] - Speed up DNS lookups in OSX

[scaryfish]

Yeah, I had that problem too - it seems sudo won't cut it, you have to be root. Do sudo su and try again.

But I get a different problem - when I try the dig @ command I always get request timed out. I'm behind a firewall - would that be the problem?

Thanks.

[cidion]

Thanks for the time and effort put into making this tutorial.

just as another FYI... after you change the settings (DNS server to 127.0.0.1) in the control panel, and you hit "apply now" well it disconnects your current internet connection.

It took me about 72 minues to realize that was the reason why [nslookup] didn't work.

It's working fine now, but in the future (or if I try this for someone else) and I want to "undo" what I just did, what should I do?

thanks!

cidion

[egilDOTnet]

Originally posted by Darkshadow
You can add this to the named.conf file:

add into the options { } section

forward first;
forwarders {
     DNS server #1
     DNS server #2
     ...
     DNS server #n
};
 

This is almost correct - its just that every DNS server in the listing above needs to be separated with semicolon, even if you just use one forwarder. I fought with this for quite some time before I saw the error.

Thanks for an otherwise very good walkthrough.

[neo36]

when i try to start named using the command "ndc start" i get the following error:

>>
opensocket_f: bind([0.0.0.0].53): Address already in use
ndc: error: could not start new name server (/usr/sbin/named)
>>

i tried use "ndc stop":

>>
ndc: error: ctl_client: evConnect(fd 3): Connection refused
ndc: error: cannot connect to command channel (/var/run/ndc)
>>

when i try to "ndc restart":

>>
ndc: error: name server was not running (warning only)
opensocket_f: bind([0.0.0.0].53): Address already in use
ndc: error: could not start new name server (/usr/sbin/named)
>>

any ideas what could be wrong? i've followed the instructions step by step...


thx in advance!

[egilDOTnet]

I am certainly no expert on this, but it looks to me like if some other service is using port 53, so that bind cannot take claim of it...

[physicsGuy]

neo36: I'm going by memory, but I think there was a line involving port 53 in a config file mentioned in the original instructions, that you were supposed to uncomment if you are behind a firewall. Are you behind a firewall?

[neo36]

yup, i am behind a firewall, but i did uncomment that line, too....

[scaryfish]

Anyone know if anything in this hint needs to be changed for 10.2? Does Jaguar make it easier (or harder) to set up a name server?

(I read on macosxhints that there's a spelling error in the BIND file where it says DNSSSERVER instead of DNSSERVER)