Are you having trouble finding your DNS name server in Ubuntu? Fear not, because we’ve got you covered with this step-by-step guide.
DNS (Domain Name System) is a critical part of any network infrastructure. It translates human-readable domain names into machine-readable IP addresses, making it easier for us to access websites and other online resources. In Ubuntu, finding your DNS name server can be a bit tricky, but with the right tools and knowledge, you’ll be able to do it in no time.
In this article, we’ll show you four different methods for finding your DNS name server in Ubuntu. Whether you’re a beginner or an advanced user, this guide has something for everyone. So, without further ado, let’s get started and find that DNS name server!
By the end of this article, you’ll have a solid understanding of how to find your DNS name server in Ubuntu. With this knowledge, you’ll be able to troubleshoot network issues and make any necessary changes to your DNS settings. So, let’s dive in and get started!
Check the /etc/resolv.conf file
When it comes to DNS servers in Ubuntu, the first place to look is the /etc/resolv.conf file. This file contains the IP addresses of the name servers that Ubuntu is currently using to resolve domain names.
To view the contents of the /etc/resolv.conf file, open a terminal and type cat /etc/resolv.conf. If you see IP addresses listed under the nameserver directive, then those are the name servers currently being used by your system.
If the /etc/resolv.conf file does not contain any IP addresses under the nameserver directive, it means that Ubuntu is not currently configured to use any name servers. In this case, you will need to manually configure the name servers that Ubuntu should use to resolve domain names.
It’s important to note that the /etc/resolv.conf file can be automatically generated by various services and applications. Therefore, any changes you make to this file may be overwritten by other programs.
If you need to make persistent changes to the name servers that Ubuntu is using, it’s recommended to modify the /etc/systemd/resolved.conf file instead of the /etc/resolv.conf file. This will ensure that your changes are not overwritten by other programs.
In the next section, we will discuss how to use the nmcli command to find the DNS name server in Ubuntu.
Open the /etc/resolv.conf file in a text editor
- Open the Terminal app by pressing the Ctrl+Alt+T key combination.
- Type the command sudo nano /etc/resolv.conf and press Enter.
- Enter your user password if prompted and press Enter.
- You should now see the content of the /etc/resolv.conf file in the terminal window.
- To edit the file, use the arrow keys to move the cursor to the line you want to modify and make your changes.
- Press Ctrl+O to save the changes and then press Ctrl+X to exit the text editor.
If you don’t have a preferred text editor, you can also use the command sudo nano /etc/resolv.conf to open the file in the nano editor, which is a simple text editor that is installed by default on Ubuntu.
Step 1: Once you have opened the /etc/resolv.conf file in a text editor, look for a line that starts with “nameserver”. This line contains the IP address of the DNS server that your computer is currently using.
Step 2: The IP address will be listed after the “nameserver” keyword, separated by a space. For example, “nameserver 8.8.8.8“.
Step 3: If there are multiple “nameserver” lines, each IP address listed represents a different DNS server that your computer may be using. Make sure to take note of all the IP addresses listed.
Step 4: You can also manually add or modify the “nameserver” line to specify a different DNS server IP address if needed.
Step 5: Once you have found the DNS server IP address, you can use it to troubleshoot any network connectivity issues or configure your system’s DNS settings.
Use the nmcli command
If you prefer using the command line, you can use the nmcli tool to find your DNS server. Here are the steps:
Step 1: Open a terminal window
Step 2: Type the following command:
nmcli dev show | grep DNS
Step 3: Press Enter
The output should show the DNS server IP address under the “IP4.DNS” field.
Open the terminal and enter “nmcli dev show | grep ‘DNS'”
The nmcli command is a tool used to manage network settings in Ubuntu. To find the DNS name server using this command, follow these steps:
- Open the terminal by pressing Ctrl+Alt+T.
- Enter the command “nmcli dev show | grep ‘DNS'” in the terminal and press Enter.
- The DNS server IP addresses will be displayed in the output.
- If multiple DNS servers are listed, the first one is usually the primary server and the others are secondary servers.
- If no DNS servers are listed, it means that your system is not currently using any DNS servers.
This method is quick and easy, and it’s especially useful if you need to check the DNS server configuration on multiple machines.
Next, we’ll cover how to find the DNS name server in Ubuntu using the systemd-resolve command.
View the DNS server IP address listed in the output
After running the command in the previous step, the output should show one or more lines that include the DNS server IP address. The IP addresses will be listed under the “IP4.DNS” or “IP6.DNS” fields.
If multiple DNS servers are listed, the system will use them in the order they are listed. In other words, the first IP address listed will be the primary DNS server, while the rest will be secondary servers.
If you need to change the DNS server IP address, you can do so by using the nmcli command with the appropriate options.
It is worth noting that the nmcli command only works with systems that use the NetworkManager service, which is the default on most Ubuntu installations.
Use the systemd-resolve command
If you are using a recent version of Ubuntu, you can use the systemd-resolve command to find your DNS server. This is a command-line tool that is included in the systemd system and service manager. It provides a way to manage system-resolved DNS servers.
To use systemd-resolve, open a terminal window and type systemd-resolve –status. This command will display the status of your DNS resolver, including the DNS servers that your system is currently using.
If you want to see more detailed information about your DNS configuration, you can use the systemd-resolve –statistics command. This will display statistics about your DNS traffic, including the number of queries sent and the response time for each server.
With the systemd-resolve command, you can also configure your system to use a specific DNS server. For example, if you want to use Google’s public DNS server, you can use the command systemd-resolve –set-dns=8.8.8.8 –interface=eth0, where “eth0” is the name of your network interface.
Open the terminal and enter “systemd-resolve –status”
The systemd-resolve command provides a way to query DNS settings on Ubuntu. By running “systemd-resolve –status” in the terminal, you can view information about the current DNS server configuration on your system.
The output will include information such as the DNS servers that are currently being used, as well as other relevant information such as the domain name and the search domains that are configured.
Using the systemd-resolve command can be a quick and easy way to view your current DNS server settings without having to manually search through configuration files.
Look for the “DNS Servers” line to find the DNS server IP address
Once you’ve entered the systemd-resolve --status command in the terminal, the output will display several lines of information. Look for the line that says “DNS Servers”.
The IP address of the DNS server(s) should be listed next to “DNS Servers”. It may be a single IP address or multiple IP addresses separated by commas.
If no IP address is listed, it means that no DNS server has been configured for your system, and you may need to configure one manually.
Use the dig command
Dig command is a popular DNS tool used to query DNS servers to retrieve DNS records. It is available on most Linux distributions and macOS.
To use the dig command, open the terminal and enter the command “dig example.com”. This will return information about the DNS records for example.com.
You can specify the DNS server to query by adding the “@DNS-server-IP” option to the command, for example: “dig example.com @8.8.8.8”. This will query the Google DNS server at IP address 8.8.8.8.
The dig command can also be used to query specific types of DNS records, such as MX records or TXT records, by adding the “type” option to the command, for example: “dig example.com MX”. This will return only the MX records for example.com.
The dig command also has options to control the amount of information displayed, the output format, and more. Use the “–help” option to view the available options, for example: “dig –help”.
Open the terminal and enter “dig domain_name”
Using the dig command is a quick and easy way to query DNS servers for information about a domain. Simply open the terminal and enter “dig domain_name” where “domain_name” is the name of the domain you want to query.
The dig command will return various information about the domain, such as its IP address, the authoritative name servers for the domain, and any DNS records associated with the domain.
You can also use additional options with the dig command to get more specific information. For example, you can use the “+short” option to get just the IP address of the domain, or you can use the “+trace” option to see the path that the DNS query takes through the network.
Look for the “SERVER” line in the output to find the DNS server IP address
After running the dig command, look for the “SERVER” line in the output. This line indicates the IP address of the DNS server used to perform the query. The IP address is listed after the word “SERVER:”. For example, if the line reads “SERVER: 192.168.1.1#53(192.168.1.1)”, the DNS server IP address is “192.168.1.1”.
Note that if the query is performed using a DNS server other than the default system DNS server, the “SERVER” line will indicate the IP address of that DNS server.
If the “SERVER” line is not present in the output, it means that the query was not successfully resolved by any DNS server. In this case, try running the dig command with a different domain name or check your network connectivity.
Check your router’s settings
If the above methods didn’t work or you suspect that your DNS server IP address is being set by your router, you can check your router’s settings to find out.
To do this, you’ll need to access your router’s configuration page. The method for doing this varies depending on the router, but you can usually find instructions in the router’s manual or by searching online for your specific model.
Once you’ve accessed the configuration page, look for a section labeled “DNS” or “Network Settings.” The DNS server IP address should be listed here. If you’re not sure what to look for, check the router’s manual or contact the manufacturer’s support for assistance.
If you find that the DNS server IP address listed in your router’s settings is incorrect or outdated, you can usually change it by entering a new IP address in the appropriate field and saving your changes.
Keep in mind that changing your router’s DNS settings may affect all devices connected to your network, so it’s a good idea to make sure you know what you’re doing before making any changes. If you’re not sure, consult the router’s manual or contact the manufacturer’s support for assistance.
Open a web browser and enter your router’s IP address
Open a web browser on your computer or mobile device and type in your router’s IP address in the address bar. If you don’t know your router’s IP address, you can usually find it in the user manual or by doing a quick internet search.
Once you’ve entered your router’s IP address, you’ll be prompted to enter your router’s login credentials. These are usually a combination of a username and password, which should also be provided in the user manual or by your internet service provider.
After logging in, you’ll be taken to the router’s web-based configuration page, where you can access various settings and features, including the DNS server settings.
Once you have accessed your router’s login page, you will need to enter your username and password to access the settings.
Once you have successfully logged in, navigate to the DNS settings. The location of this setting may vary depending on your router’s make and model. You may need to look through the different tabs or menus to find it.
Once you have found the DNS settings, you should be able to view the DNS server IP address. Look for a field labeled “DNS server” or “Primary DNS server”. The IP address should be listed next to it.
If you are still unable to locate your DNS server IP address, the next step is to consult your router’s manual. Look for the section on DNS settings, and follow the instructions provided. This may vary depending on the make and model of your router.
If you cannot find your router’s manual, try contacting your Internet Service Provider (ISP) for assistance. They may be able to provide you with the DNS server IP address, or walk you through the process of locating it on your router.
If you are not comfortable navigating your router’s settings or contacting your ISP, consider seeking the help of a professional. A computer technician or IT specialist can assist you in locating your DNS server IP address and configuring your network settings.
Remember that your DNS server IP address is crucial for ensuring that your internet connection functions properly. If you experience ongoing issues with your network, it may be worth taking the time to troubleshoot and locate your DNS server IP address.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is DNS name server and why is it important in Ubuntu?
DNS name server is a server that translates human-readable domain names into IP addresses. In Ubuntu, it is important because it helps in resolving domain names to their corresponding IP addresses, which is necessary for accessing websites and other network services.
How do I check the current DNS name server in Ubuntu?
You can check the current DNS name server in Ubuntu by looking at the contents of the /etc/resolv.conf file, which lists the IP address of the DNS server(s) being used by your system.
How can I change the DNS name server in Ubuntu?
You can change the DNS name server in Ubuntu by editing the /etc/resolv.conf file and replacing the current DNS server IP address with the IP address of your desired DNS server. Alternatively, you can use the Network Manager GUI to change the DNS server settings.