RESOLVER(4) UNIX 5.0 (September 14, 1987) RESOLVER(4)
NAME
resolver - resolver configuration file
SYNOPSIS
/etc/resolv.conf
DESCRIPTION
The resolver configuration file contains information that is
read by the resolver routines the first time they are
invoked by a process. The file is designed to be human
readable and contains a list of name-value pairs that
provide various types of resolver information.
On a normally configured system this file should not be
necessary. The only name server to be queried will be on
the local machine and the domain name is retrieved from the
system.
The different configuration options are:
nameserver
followed by the Internet address (in dot notation) of a
name server that the resolver should query. At least
one name server should be listed. Up to MAXNS
(currently 3) name servers may be listed, in that case
the resolver library queries tries them in the order
listed. If no nameserver entries are present, the
default is to use the name server on the local machine.
(The algorithm used is to try a name server, and if the
query times out, try the next, until out of name
servers, then repeat trying all the name servers until
a maximum number of retries are made).
domain
followed by a domain name, that is the default domain
to append to names that do not have a dot in them. If
no domain entries are present, the domain returned by
gethostname(2) is used (everything after the first
`.'). Finally, if the host name does not contain a
domain part, the root domain is assumed.
The name value pair must appear on a single line, and the
keyword (e.g. nameserver) must start the line. The value
follows the keyword, separated by white space.
FILES
/etc/resolv.conf
SEE ALSO
resolver(3N)
Name Server Operations Guide for BIND
Page 1 (printed 12/10/90)