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DNS Resolution, Latency & DNS Path

Sometimes clients can experience a lag in DNS (Domain Name System) resolution. Essentially, when a browser says that it is “Looking for a domain name”, it is experiencing latency, or a prolonged period of time (measured in milliseconds) to acquire the information. This article includes details on how to see a complete DNS path to get better idea of what’s happening and why there may be a time delay. It s a"trace" parameter in dig. This means that it is tracing the path from a series of servers.

By looking over this example trace, clients should be able to get a better idea of how to trace their own DNS path, and be able to troubleshoot where their high periods of latency are occurring.

Use: dig <hostname> +trace

An Example DNS Path

anurag@anurag-laptop:~/Desktop/CloudAccess/practice$ dig CloudAccess.net +trace

; <<>> DiG 9.7.3 <<>> cloudaccess.net +trace
;; global options: +cmd
.      25935    IN      NS      m.root-servers.net. 
.      25935    IN      NS      j.root-servers.net.
.      25935    IN      NS      f.root-servers.net.
.      25935    IN      NS      a.root-servers.net.
.      25935    IN      NS      a.root-servers.net.
.      25935    IN      NS      g.root-servers.net.
.      25935    IN      NS      i.root-servers.net.
.      25935    IN      NS      c.root-servers.net.
.      25935    IN      NS      d.root-servers.net.
.      25935    IN      NS      k.root-servers.net.
.      25935    IN      NS      l.root-servers.net.
.      25935    IN      NS      e.root-servers.net.
.      25935    IN      NS      h.root-servers.net.

;; Received 228 bytes from 192.168.1.100#53(192.168.1.100) in 103 ms

net.      172800    IN      NS      h.gtld-servers.net.
net.      172800    IN      NS      g.gtld-servers.net.
net.      172800    IN      NS      c.gtld-servers.net.
net.      172800    IN      NS      i.gtld-servers.net.
net.      172800    IN      NS      m.gtld-servers.net.
net.      172800    IN      NS      l.gtld-servers.net.
net.      172800    IN      NS      j.gtld-servers.net.
net.      172800    IN      NS      e.gtld-servers.net.
net.      172800    IN      NS      f.gtld-servers.net.
net.      172800    IN      NS      k.gtld-servers.net.
net.      172800    IN      NS      b.gtld-servers.net.
net.      172800    IN      NS      a.gtld-servers.net.
net.      172800    IN      NS      d.gtld-servers.net.
;; Received 502 bytes from 192.203.230.10#53(e.root-servers.net) in 321 ms

cloudaccess.net.      172800   IN      NS     ns2.gridfast.net.
cloudaccess.net.      172800   IN      NS     ns1.gridfast.net.
;; Received 110 bytes from 192.42.93.30#53(g.gtld-servers.net) in 311 ms

cloudaccess.net.     300      IN      A      71.89.140.161
;; Received 49 bytes from 72.51.44.56#53(ns2.gridfast.net) in 329 ms

An Example of of a Reverse DNS Path

anurag@anurag-laptop:~/Desktop/CloudAccess/practice$ dig -x 71.89.140.161 +trace

; <<>> DiG 9.7.3 <<>> -x 71.89.140.161 +trace
;; global options: +cmd
.       25893   IN    NS      m.root-servers.net.
.       25893   IN    NS      j.root-servers.net.
.       25893   IN    NS      f.root-servers.net.
.       25893   IN    NS      a.root-servers.net.
.       25893   IN    NS      b.root-servers.net.
.       25893   IN    NS      g.root-servers.net.
.       25893   IN    NS      g.root-servers.net.
.       25893   IN    NS      c.root-servers.net.
.       25893   IN    NS      d.root-servers.net.
.       25893   IN    NS      k.root-servers.net.
.       25893   IN    NS      l.root-servers.net.
.       25893   IN    NS      e.root-servers.net.
.       25893   IN    NS      h.root-servers.net.
;; Received 228 bytes from 192.168.1.100#53(192.168.1.100) in 62 ms

arpa.      172800   IN    NS     b.root-servers.net.
arpa.      172800   IN    NS     f.root-servers.net.
arpa.      172800   IN    NS     c.root-servers.net.
arpa.      172800   IN    NS     k.root-servers.net.
arpa.      172800   IN    NS     h.root-servers.net.
arpa.      172800   IN    NS     m.root-servers.net.
arpa.      172800   IN    NS     g.root-servers.net.
arpa.      172800   IN    NS     a.root-servers.net.
arpa.      172800   IN    NS     i.root-servers.net.
arpa.      172800   IN    NS     d.root-servers.net.
arpa.      172800   IN    NS     l.root-servers.net.
arpa.      172800   IN    NS     l.root-servers.net.
;; Received 508 bytes from 192.58.128.30#53(j.root-servers.net) in 258 ms

in-addr.arpa.      172800   IN    NS     a.in-addr-servers.arpa.
in-addr.arpa.      172800   IN    NS     b.in-addr-servers.arpa.
in-addr.arpa.      172800   IN    NS     c.in-addr-servers.arpa.
in-addr.arpa.      172800   IN    NS     d.in-addr-servers.arpa.
in-addr.arpa.      172800   IN    NS     e.in-addr-servers.arpa.
in-addr.arpa.      172800   IN    NS     f.in-addr-servers.arpa.
;; Received 420 bytes from 199.7.83.42#53(b.root-servers.net) in 265 ms

71.in-addr.arpa.      86400   IN    NS      t.arin.net.
71.in-addr.arpa.      86400   IN    NS      u.arin.net.
71.in-addr.arpa.      86400   IN    NS      v.arin.net.
71.in-addr.arpa.      86400   IN    NS      w.arin.net.
71.in-addr.arpa.      86400   IN    NS      x.arin.net.
71.in-addr.arpa.      86400   IN    NS      y.arin.net.
71.in-addr.arpa.      86400   IN    NS      z.arin.net.
71.in-addr.arpa.      86400   IN    NS      dill.arin.net.
;; Received 183 bytes from 199.253.183.183#53(b.in-addr-servers.arpa) in 264 ms

89.71.in-addr.arpa.      86400   IN    NS      NS1.CHARTER.COM.
89.71.in-addr.arpa.      86400   IN    NS      NS3.CHARTER.COM.
89.71.in-addr.arpa.      86400   IN    NS      NS4.CHARTER.COM.
89.71.in-addr.arpa.      86400   IN    NS       NS2.CHARTER.COM.
;; Received 127 bytes from 192.42.93.32#53(y.arin.net) in 344 ms

161.140.89.71.in-addr.arpa. 3600 IN    NS      ns1.gridfast.net.
161.140.89.71.in-addr.arpa. 3600 IN    NS       ns2.gridfast.net.
;; Received 92 bytes from 216.33.127.140#53(NS3.CHARTER.COM) in 290 ms

161.140.89.71.in-addr.arpa. 86400 IN PTR cloudaccess.net.
;; Received 73 bytes from 71.89.140.11#53(ns1.gridfast.net) in 296 ms

You see My laptop > My router > DNS resolver > root DNS server > Delegated DNS servers.

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