Topic: Solved: Has my dns broken?

[dmajwool]

Hi,

In a long established server/gateway system that has not changed other than applying updates for many months, the server console test for internet connection is now failing.

At the server prompt I can ping an external site by ip address, but not by domain name.

In the ¨Configure this server¨section I have tried putting an external dns service (8.8.8.8 ) with no success and have removed it, still with no dns improvement.

On the workstations inside the sme gateway, browsers do not work, but skype does.

Laptops connected directly (ie. not via the sme server) to my DSL router by wireless or CAT5 work normally.

Any hints how I can troubleshoot this error?

Many thanks, David.

[paradigm]

You can try nslookup in the console to see if dns is even working...

[christian]

Is your root disk full?

[dmajwool]

Thank you.

nslookup gave an error message like ¨ no servers could be reached¨

Yes, my root drive was full.

I deleted a few data files and the dns started working again.

nslookup now returns some relevant information.

I'll raise a nfr bug suggesting a prompt be displayed somewhere when the root drive is full.

Many thanks for your help

David.

[Stefano]

I'll raise a nfr bug suggesting a prompt be displayed somewhere when the root drive is full.

it's not necessary IMHO, you should read all admin's emails coming from your server..
if you prefer, you could install logwatch

[dmajwool]

Hi Stefano

Thanks for the thought, but I'm not sure about the ¨read the emails¨ advice, because of a Catch22.  The first I knew about the problem was when my email client stopped working! - I don't poll the email service on the server and have set the admin mails to forward to an external address - So I haven't yet received the admin email advising me of the problem - although now I look I can see it in midnight commander.  Maybe I'll get it tomorrow now the problem is cleared.

And I'm not sure that advising the user about what amounts to a ¨denial of service¨ condition should rely on an optional install outside of the base distro (logwatch)

Cheers, David

[Stefano]

well, if your disk filled suddenly, you should find the cause..

if not, reading logwatch's daily report can help you to know what's going on (disk occupation too)

my 2c

[dmajwool]

I agree, logwatch sounds like a sensible and useful contrib for me to install right now!

David.