Slackware HowTo

Use dig, host, and nslookup for DNS debugging on Slackware

Quickly compare resolvers, records, and resolution path without guessing.

1. When to use it

This guide helps when resolution differs across hosts or between local and public DNS.

dig | host | nslookup | DNS | resolver test

2. Base setup

dig example.org A +short
host example.org
nslookup example.org 1.1.1.1

Adjust host names, IPs, interfaces, paths, and versions to the real system before making the change persistent.

3. Quick verification

dig +trace example.org | head -n 30
grep '^hosts:' /etc/nsswitch.conf
cat /etc/resolv.conf

Confirm that the output matches the expected state before considering the intervention complete.

4. Operational notes

Always compare resolver output with /etc/hosts and local search domains: many errors are not in the authoritative DNS.

Quick checklist

[ ] Steps completed\n[ ] Config updated\n[ ] Tests executed\n[ ] Rollback ready\n[ ] Logs checked

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