DNS root servers blocked?

[#1]

Hi all,

I am attempting to debug a DNS issue by tracing a DNS query through the hierarchy. However, it appears that some DNS servers are blocked on Plusnet.

For example:

Resolve-DnsName com. -Type NS -Server m.root-servers.net
Resolve-DnsName: com. : DNS server failure.

Can anyone confirm that this is the case?

Many thanks

[#2]

Moderators Note

This topic has been moved from Broadband to Everything Else 

[#3]

I run an Unbound instance on my Plusnet connection without issue, so the root servers definitely aren't blocked in my case.

I also don't see what you do: -

~$ dig com. ns @m.root-servers.net

; <<>> DiG 9.16.33-Debian <<>> com. ns @m.root-servers.net
;; global options: +cmd
;; Got answer:
;; ->>HEADER<<- opcode: QUERY, status: NOERROR, id: 37900
;; flags: qr rd ra; QUERY: 1, ANSWER: 13, AUTHORITY: 0, ADDITIONAL: 1

;; OPT PSEUDOSECTION:
; EDNS: version: 0, flags:; udp: 512
;; QUESTION SECTION:
;com.                           IN      NS

;; ANSWER SECTION:
com.                    85862   IN      NS      f.gtld-servers.net.
com.                    85862   IN      NS      j.gtld-servers.net.
com.                    85862   IN      NS      g.gtld-servers.net.
com.                    85862   IN      NS      i.gtld-servers.net.
com.                    85862   IN      NS      b.gtld-servers.net.
com.                    85862   IN      NS      a.gtld-servers.net.
com.                    85862   IN      NS      c.gtld-servers.net.
com.                    85862   IN      NS      m.gtld-servers.net.
com.                    85862   IN      NS      l.gtld-servers.net.
com.                    85862   IN      NS      h.gtld-servers.net.
com.                    85862   IN      NS      d.gtld-servers.net.
com.                    85862   IN      NS      k.gtld-servers.net.
com.                    85862   IN      NS      e.gtld-servers.net.

;; Query time: 19 msec
;; SERVER: 202.12.27.33#53(202.12.27.33)
;; WHEN: Tue Oct 18 19:29:56 BST 2022
;; MSG SIZE  rcvd: 256

[#4]

Hi Bob,

Many thanks for your response. I have success with the same commands from a VM running in Azure, and other machines on my local network have the same issue as my main machine.

Seems like the problem may still be on my end though. There isn't some hidden configuration option on the PlusNet router or something perhaps?

Regards,

Jamie

[#5]

Nothing I'm aware of Jamie.

My set-up is known to work with both a Hub One and Hub Two although worth noting that I don't tend to use the hubs DHCP server. I have that disabled and it's looked after elsewhere in my network.

[#6 · Accepted solution]

Is it a problem with the "Resolve-DnsName" command? This link seems to show others get this problem:

Unexpected exception returned from cmdlet Resolve-DNSName - Microsoft Q&A

I see the same error in windows as @jamiecon sees, but dig on linux works fine, like @bobpullen sees.

[#7]

Interesting. The Powershell command also works fine for me Win 11: -

PS C:\Users\Bob> Resolve-DnsName com. -Type NS -Server m.root-servers.net

Name                           Type   TTL   Section    NameHost
----                           ----   ---   -------    --------
com                            NS     86400 Answer     k.gtld-servers.net
com                            NS     86400 Answer     g.gtld-servers.net
com                            NS     86400 Answer     b.gtld-servers.net
com                            NS     86400 Answer     i.gtld-servers.net
com                            NS     86400 Answer     m.gtld-servers.net
com                            NS     86400 Answer     d.gtld-servers.net
com                            NS     86400 Answer     c.gtld-servers.net
com                            NS     86400 Answer     h.gtld-servers.net
com                            NS     86400 Answer     a.gtld-servers.net
com                            NS     86400 Answer     l.gtld-servers.net
com                            NS     86400 Answer     f.gtld-servers.net
com                            NS     86400 Answer     e.gtld-servers.net
com                            NS     86400 Answer     j.gtld-servers.net

[#8]

Hi both,

Just looked at the traffic in Wireshark and the post that @seebee links to is correct - the response is coming back but is not being correctly displayed by the Resolve-DnsName cmdlet.

I am also running Win11, fully updated and pretty much default configuration. The error occurs for me in both PowerShell Core and Windows PowerShell, although there is more error detail in Windows PowerShell:

PS C:\Users\jamie> Resolve-DnsName com. -Type NS -Server m.root-servers.net
Resolve-DnsName : com. : DNS server failure
At line:1 char:1
+ Resolve-DnsName com. -Type NS -Server m.root-servers.net
+ ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
    + CategoryInfo          : ResourceUnavailable: (com.:String) [Resolve-DnsName], Win32Exception
    + FullyQualifiedErrorId : RCODE_SERVER_FAILURE,Microsoft.DnsClient.Commands.ResolveDnsName

@bobpullenreally interesting that you are successful with the same command. Can't really explain that one - but if it's dependent on some configuration characteristic it might explain why the bug hasn't been squashed?

Appreciate everyone's help on this. If anyone's curious happy to do some more digging but otherwise I guess we can consider the matter closed! PlusNet - not guilty 🙂

Regards,

Jamie

[#9]

Hi, could this issue be why my Screwfix app Checkout has stopped working when I'm on my Plusnet WiFi?  When I try to  checkout I get this error: 

Domain: undefined

Error code: -2

Description: ERR_NAME_NOT_RESOLVED

This was working OK a couple of weeks ago, and it still works OK when I'm on the mobile network.

[#10]

Hey Brynow,

Unrelated I'm afraid. Your error is probably transient (likely) or a bug in the Screwfix app (less likely if it works on mobile).

Make sure your app's fully updated and maybe give it a day or two.

Cheers,

Jamie

[#11]

@Brynow - your problem is related to this.