Darkshadow
wandering shadow
This will explain how to speed up DNS lookups. This is useful for contacting servers much quicker than normal, plus not waiting around forever before a lookup fails. I would just like to note at the beginning here that this will not load web pages any faster, or let you download anything faster, but it will contact web servers & such much, much quicker than the default.
Part 1 - Speeding up DNS lookups in NetInfo
I will be giving the commands to do this for the terminal. All of the commands I list must be run as root. Either use su to log in as root, or append sudo to the beginning of the commands.
First, we'll create the locations/lookupd "folder" that NetInfo uses (actually, lookupd uses, but anyway...). Note that if this already exists, it won't overwrite anything. This is just in case it doesn't exist yet.
niutil -create . /locations/lookupd
Next, we'll create another location for hosts:
niutil -create . /locations/lookupd/hosts
Next, we add some parameters for hosts - this will basically be telling lookupd to not validate the cache for hosts, and to time out after 30 seconds if there is no response:
niutil -createprop . /locations/lookupd/hosts LookupOrder CacheAgent NIAgent DNSAgent NILAgent
niutil -createprop . /locations/lookupd/hosts Timeout 30
niutil -createprop . /locations/lookupd/hosts ValidateCache NO
Now we create a few more locations for the agents DNSAgent and NILAgent. DNSAgent is the DNS lookup, of course, and NILAgent is sort of a negative reply agent - any search that doesn't come up with a result will be remembered by NILAgent, and if another search is done for the same host, item, whatever else, NILAgent will kick and and pretty much say "Don't bother, it doesn't exist." Meaning you won't have to sit there and wait for it to timeout again. Here's the stuff for this:
niutil -create . /locations/lookupd/agents
niutil -create . /locations/lookupd/agents/DNSAgent
niutil -create . /locations/lookupd/agents/NILAgent
Ok, now we'll add in the parameters for NILAgent first. These tell it to keep an item in its database for 1 hour, and for the agent itself to timeout after 30 seconds:
niutil -createprop . /locations/lookupd/agents/NILAgent TimeToLive 3600
niutil -createprop . /locations/lookupd/agents/NILAgent Timeout 30
Finally, we'll do the parameters for DNSAgent. This tells the agent to timeout after 15 seconds, and to retry a lookup 3 times:
niutil -createprop . /locations/lookupd/agents/DNSAgent Timeout 15
niutil -createprop . /locations/lookupd/agents/DNSAgent Retries 3
And that's that. Now do this command to restart NetInfo and lookupd:
/System/Library/SystemConfiguration/Kicker.bundle/Resources/restart-NetInfo
Part 2 - Creating a caching-only nameserver
This next part describes how to create your own nameserver. Note that this isn't a fully-fledged nameserver, it only caches servers you connect to for a short while, it doesn't provide a DNS server for your own domain. You could do this, yes, but you would still need to apply for a domain, have a static IP number, yadda yadda yadda...and none of that is needed for this anyway.
Why create your own nameserver? Well, having your own nameserver on your own machine greatly shortens the time spent on DNS lookups. Plus, you aren't one of many accessing the DNS server, you are the only one.
You won't need to install any additional software to get this working, everything needed is already installed. As with the first part, these will all be terminal commands (except for one small step), and you will need to be root/use sudo as before to edit/create these files.
First we'll edit the file /etc/named.conf. Named is the program that runs the nameserver, FYI. Enter this command, then enter the text as shown:
pico /etc/named.conf
(type control-o to save it, then control-x to exit pico)
This file tells named where to find all the stuff it needs to set up the nameserver.
Next we need to create the folder named will look into to find it's config files:
mkdir /var/named
Now we travel to the newly created directory and create another one:
cd /var/named
mkdir pz
Now, we need to create a file for named to use to do its DNS lookups. This is the file called root.hints. These are the root servers that supply DNS lookups to the majority of DNS servers out there. Note that you will need to maintain this file, I'll explain that after we set it up. You will need to be online to do these commands:
first type dig to get the file according to your current DNS server. See all those lines that start with some letter (i.e. A or G or M) with .ROOT-SERVERS.NET. after it? You need to query one to get the root hints file. After you pick one, do this command (replace the root server I listed with the one you choose)
dig @m.root-server.net . ns > root.hints
This will create the root.hints file. Now, like I mentioned, you will need to maintain this file. The reason is because the root servers do change from time to time, and you will need to keep up to date with the changes. Maintaining it is just redoing the above commands to create a new root.hints file (done once a month).
Next we'll go into the pz folder we created and make a new file there. This is the file that loads in all the DNS info for you:
cd pz
pico 127.0.0
(again, control-o to save it, and control-x to exit pico)
Next we need to tell OS X to use itself as the DNS server. You do this via the Network Preferences in System Preferences. Load it up, click on the TCP/IP tab, and under Domain Name Servers, type in 127.0.0.1 Then click save at the bottom and quit.
Be sure to replace anything that was already there - we don't want to use any other DNS but our own.
Now we start named. The command for this is pretty simple.
ndc start
Now, we need to do one of two things to actually get the connection to use the new name server. You can either disconnect and reconnect, or if you would rather not disconnect, edit /var/run/resolv.conf. If you wish to do the latter, do
pico /var/run/resolv.conf
nameserver: 127.0.0.1
(control-o, control-x)
Be sure to replace anything else that was already in the resolv.conf.
Now you need to test it to make sure everything is working right. The easiest way is to use nslookup. Type that in, and the first two lines you should see are
Default Server: localhost
Address: 127.0.0.1
If it doesn't, then you have an error in the config files somewhere - go back and make sure they're typed in exactly as I have them.
The last thing we need to do is get named to launch at boot. You'll need named to start before you try to use your connection.
Good thing there's a (pretty) simple way - make a startup item for named.
Create a folder named Named in /Library/StartupItems (you may need to create the folder StartupItems in /Library first):
mkdir /Library/StartupItems/Named
cd /Library/StartupItems/Named
Now we create two files to start named at boot. One of the files is always named the same as the folder name - so if you create the folder with some other than Named, then save this file as that same name. Otherwise, do this:
pico Named
#!/bin/sh
. /etc/rc.common
if [ "${DNSSERVER:=-NO-}" = "-YES-" ]; then
ConsoleMessage "Starting named"
/usr/sbin/ndc start
fi
(control-o, control-x)
Now type chmod +x Named to make it executable (needed!).
Now we edit the other file used for startup items - StartupParameters.plist. This one is named the same for every startup item. Here's what to put in it:
pico StartupParameters.plist
{
Description = "caching-only nameserver";
Provides = ("named");
Requires = ("Disks", "Resolver", "Desktop DB", "Input Managers");
OrderPreference = "None";
Messages =
{
start = "Starting named...";
stop = "Stopping named...";
};
}
Now, one last little thing. Edit /etc/hostconfig, and add in this line:
DNSSERVER=-YES-
to the end of it..
Part 1 - Speeding up DNS lookups in NetInfo
I will be giving the commands to do this for the terminal. All of the commands I list must be run as root. Either use su to log in as root, or append sudo to the beginning of the commands.
First, we'll create the locations/lookupd "folder" that NetInfo uses (actually, lookupd uses, but anyway...). Note that if this already exists, it won't overwrite anything. This is just in case it doesn't exist yet.
niutil -create . /locations/lookupd
Next, we'll create another location for hosts:
niutil -create . /locations/lookupd/hosts
Next, we add some parameters for hosts - this will basically be telling lookupd to not validate the cache for hosts, and to time out after 30 seconds if there is no response:
niutil -createprop . /locations/lookupd/hosts LookupOrder CacheAgent NIAgent DNSAgent NILAgent
niutil -createprop . /locations/lookupd/hosts Timeout 30
niutil -createprop . /locations/lookupd/hosts ValidateCache NO
Now we create a few more locations for the agents DNSAgent and NILAgent. DNSAgent is the DNS lookup, of course, and NILAgent is sort of a negative reply agent - any search that doesn't come up with a result will be remembered by NILAgent, and if another search is done for the same host, item, whatever else, NILAgent will kick and and pretty much say "Don't bother, it doesn't exist." Meaning you won't have to sit there and wait for it to timeout again. Here's the stuff for this:
niutil -create . /locations/lookupd/agents
niutil -create . /locations/lookupd/agents/DNSAgent
niutil -create . /locations/lookupd/agents/NILAgent
Ok, now we'll add in the parameters for NILAgent first. These tell it to keep an item in its database for 1 hour, and for the agent itself to timeout after 30 seconds:
niutil -createprop . /locations/lookupd/agents/NILAgent TimeToLive 3600
niutil -createprop . /locations/lookupd/agents/NILAgent Timeout 30
Finally, we'll do the parameters for DNSAgent. This tells the agent to timeout after 15 seconds, and to retry a lookup 3 times:
niutil -createprop . /locations/lookupd/agents/DNSAgent Timeout 15
niutil -createprop . /locations/lookupd/agents/DNSAgent Retries 3
And that's that. Now do this command to restart NetInfo and lookupd:
/System/Library/SystemConfiguration/Kicker.bundle/Resources/restart-NetInfo
Part 2 - Creating a caching-only nameserver
This next part describes how to create your own nameserver. Note that this isn't a fully-fledged nameserver, it only caches servers you connect to for a short while, it doesn't provide a DNS server for your own domain. You could do this, yes, but you would still need to apply for a domain, have a static IP number, yadda yadda yadda...and none of that is needed for this anyway.
Why create your own nameserver? Well, having your own nameserver on your own machine greatly shortens the time spent on DNS lookups. Plus, you aren't one of many accessing the DNS server, you are the only one.
You won't need to install any additional software to get this working, everything needed is already installed. As with the first part, these will all be terminal commands (except for one small step), and you will need to be root/use sudo as before to edit/create these files.
First we'll edit the file /etc/named.conf. Named is the program that runs the nameserver, FYI. Enter this command, then enter the text as shown:
pico /etc/named.conf
Code:
[color=red]// Config file for caching only name server
options {
directory "/var/named";
// Uncomment next line if you are behind a firewall of any sort
// query-source port 53;
};
zone "." {
type hint;
file "root.hints";
};
zone "0.0.127.in-addr.arpa" {
type master;
file "pz/127.0.0";
};[/color](type control-o to save it, then control-x to exit pico)
This file tells named where to find all the stuff it needs to set up the nameserver.
Next we need to create the folder named will look into to find it's config files:
mkdir /var/named
Now we travel to the newly created directory and create another one:
cd /var/named
mkdir pz
Now, we need to create a file for named to use to do its DNS lookups. This is the file called root.hints. These are the root servers that supply DNS lookups to the majority of DNS servers out there. Note that you will need to maintain this file, I'll explain that after we set it up. You will need to be online to do these commands:
first type dig to get the file according to your current DNS server. See all those lines that start with some letter (i.e. A or G or M) with .ROOT-SERVERS.NET. after it? You need to query one to get the root hints file. After you pick one, do this command (replace the root server I listed with the one you choose)
dig @m.root-server.net . ns > root.hints
This will create the root.hints file. Now, like I mentioned, you will need to maintain this file. The reason is because the root servers do change from time to time, and you will need to keep up to date with the changes. Maintaining it is just redoing the above commands to create a new root.hints file (done once a month).
Next we'll go into the pz folder we created and make a new file there. This is the file that loads in all the DNS info for you:
cd pz
pico 127.0.0
Code:
[color=red]
@ IN SOA ns.mynameserver.com. hostmaster.mynameserver.com (
1 ; Serial
8H ; Refresh
2H ; Retry
1W ; Expire
1D) ; Minimum TTL
NS ns.mynameserver.com.
1 PTR localhost.
[/color](again, control-o to save it, and control-x to exit pico)
Next we need to tell OS X to use itself as the DNS server. You do this via the Network Preferences in System Preferences. Load it up, click on the TCP/IP tab, and under Domain Name Servers, type in 127.0.0.1 Then click save at the bottom and quit.
Be sure to replace anything that was already there - we don't want to use any other DNS but our own.
Now we start named. The command for this is pretty simple.
ndc start
Now, we need to do one of two things to actually get the connection to use the new name server. You can either disconnect and reconnect, or if you would rather not disconnect, edit /var/run/resolv.conf. If you wish to do the latter, do
pico /var/run/resolv.conf
nameserver: 127.0.0.1
(control-o, control-x)
Be sure to replace anything else that was already in the resolv.conf.
Now you need to test it to make sure everything is working right. The easiest way is to use nslookup. Type that in, and the first two lines you should see are
Default Server: localhost
Address: 127.0.0.1
If it doesn't, then you have an error in the config files somewhere - go back and make sure they're typed in exactly as I have them.
The last thing we need to do is get named to launch at boot. You'll need named to start before you try to use your connection.
Good thing there's a (pretty) simple way - make a startup item for named.
Create a folder named Named in /Library/StartupItems (you may need to create the folder StartupItems in /Library first):
mkdir /Library/StartupItems/Named
cd /Library/StartupItems/Named
Now we create two files to start named at boot. One of the files is always named the same as the folder name - so if you create the folder with some other than Named, then save this file as that same name. Otherwise, do this:
pico Named
#!/bin/sh
. /etc/rc.common
if [ "${DNSSERVER:=-NO-}" = "-YES-" ]; then
ConsoleMessage "Starting named"
/usr/sbin/ndc start
fi
(control-o, control-x)
Now type chmod +x Named to make it executable (needed!).
Now we edit the other file used for startup items - StartupParameters.plist. This one is named the same for every startup item. Here's what to put in it:
pico StartupParameters.plist
{
Description = "caching-only nameserver";
Provides = ("named");
Requires = ("Disks", "Resolver", "Desktop DB", "Input Managers");
OrderPreference = "None";
Messages =
{
start = "Starting named...";
stop = "Stopping named...";
};
}
Now, one last little thing. Edit /etc/hostconfig, and add in this line:
DNSSERVER=-YES-
to the end of it..
