Re: /etc/resolv.conf, /etc/ppp/resolv.conf, dhcp3-server and dnsmasq
Doug & others,
Sure enough, the list manager is maintaining the thread
even with my messages sent with the Oberon mailer.
Good!
dt> The resolvconf package makes it a link.
... see the resolvconf man page.
Right oh! Unfortunately too much documentation
still refers to the "file /etc/resolv.conf" when
it should refer to "file or link /etc/resolv.conf".
pppconfig is one such culprit.
I guess the link idea mitigates some of the
problems with older non-resolvconf-aware software.
dt> When ppp is active, are your nameservers
present in /etc/resolvconf/run/resolv.conf?
For the telephone company ppp, yes. Apparently
my workstation at work doesn't send a nameserver
address and I should configure a static dns address
for it. Recalling that cleared some of my confusion.
dt> I also have the dnsmasq package ...
My setup is almost the same. A machine I'll
call Router has dnsmasq. Another machine,
LANite, runs dhcp-client and is connected to
Router by an Ethernet crossover cable. LANite
can ping Router and Router can now ping
google.ca but the connection is not transistive;
LANite can not ping google.ca. LANite shows
the address for google.ca but gets 0 replies
from n packets. Apparently packets are not
passed through Router. So probably I must
install ipmasq or create some routing. Any
suggestions?
dt> The magic for all this is done by resolvconf. See the man page for all
the gory details ... With eth? and ppp? interfaces coming up and going
down, the resolvconf package does a good job of keeping things working.
Appears that the design aims for deterministic
access to dns servers; but as the network becomes
more complex and dynamic, certainty is more
difficult. Being naive, I wonder whether anyone
has thought of an approach which is simpler
and more reliable and easier to troubleshoot.
For example, maintain a central list of nameservers
with a reliability index on each. PPP, dhcp,
dnsmasq & etc. could each add nameservers to the
list and adjust the reliability index. A client
needing an address would try the "best" server
first and work down. The client would be able
to adjust the reliability index according to the
response it gets from the server.
dt> ... connect to the internet with ppp at the same
time [as with eth], default routing and dns servers
will not change and life gets interesting.
Ref. paragraph above.
Thanks & best regards, ... Peter E.
Desktops.OpenDoc http://carnot.yi.org/
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