Hello Greg-
Thanks for the reply. I switched named.conf to the Homebrew default,
set the log severity to debug 11, and monitored with Wireshark.
Two things:
1) bind is querying the root servers for something, and getting back
the list of root servers. Hence some of the "non-improving referral"
errors.
2) For isc.org ns, it receives a very reasonable looking response,
then declares a "format error". See below.
-----
named.conf:
logging {
category default {
_default_log;
};
channel _default_log {
file "/usr/local/var/log/named/named.log" versions 10 size 1m;
severity debug 11;
print-time yes;
};
};
options {
directory "/usr/local/var/named";
};
-----
dig @127.0.0.1 isc.org ns:
; <<>> DiG 9.20.22 <<>> @127.0.0.1 isc.org ns
; (1 server found)
;; global options: +cmd
;; Got answer:
;; ->>HEADER<<- opcode: QUERY, status: SERVFAIL, id: 15506
;; flags: qr rd ra; QUERY: 1, ANSWER: 0, AUTHORITY: 0, ADDITIONAL: 1
;; OPT PSEUDOSECTION:
; EDNS: version: 0, flags:; udp: 1232
; COOKIE: 12bf134d8ab82a1f0100000069fa702b7af885273613e7a0 (good)
;; QUESTION SECTION:
;isc.org. IN NS
;; Query time: 270 msec
;; SERVER: 127.0.0.1#53(127.0.0.1) (UDP)
;; WHEN: Tue May 05 15:33:15 PDT 2026
;; MSG SIZE rcvd: 64
-----
From the log file:
05-May-2026 15:33:14.946 sending packet to 51.75.79.143#53
;; ->>HEADER<<- opcode: QUERY, status: NOERROR, id: 18818
;; flags:; QUESTION: 1, ANSWER: 0, AUTHORITY: 0, ADDITIONAL: 1
;; OPT PSEUDOSECTION:
; EDNS: version: 0, flags: do; udp: 1232
; COOKIE: 37203429eaaac686
;; QUESTION SECTION:
;isc.org. IN NS
05-May-2026 15:33:15.000 received packet from 51.75.79.143#53
;; ->>HEADER<<- opcode: QUERY, status: NOERROR, id: 18818
;; flags: qr rd ra; QUESTION: 1, ANSWER: 6, AUTHORITY: 0, ADDITIONAL: 13
;; OPT PSEUDOSECTION:
; EDNS: version: 0, flags: do; udp: 1232
;; QUESTION SECTION:
;isc.org. IN NS
;; ANSWER SECTION:
;isc.org. 253 IN NS nsp.dnsnode.net.
;isc.org. 253 IN NS ns.isc.afilias-nst.info.
;isc.org. 253 IN NS ns3.isc.org.
;isc.org. 253 IN NS ns1.isc.org.
;isc.org. 253 IN NS ns2.isc.org.
;isc.org. 253 IN RRSIG NS 13 2 7200 (
; 20260517224622 20260503222353 27566 isc.org.
; TaBtsBPDE7jaRThZXwtEr6AOmhlQ
; LVC7OixA12UQGaySbobHaEMAzBWM
; s09WxV3Lx/ID0RcXbLQ7Rln2kNT9
; iw== )
;; ADDITIONAL SECTION:
;ns1.isc.org. 253 IN A 149.20.2.26
;ns1.isc.org. 253 IN AAAA 2001:500:6b:2::26
;ns1.isc.org. 253 IN RRSIG A 13 3 7200 (
; 20260518111515 20260504104234 27566 isc.org.
; rvGvhZFmzoCp+o0sXy48v1z2fAUo
; JeNJdvCk9akPpkq/MYcrkP3Zwdwi
; Og+rRtnaVdsmVSRZtos9a5zAIM0x
; wg== )
;ns1.isc.org. 253 IN RRSIG AAAA 13 3 7200 (
; 20260518111515 20260504104234 27566 isc.org.
; X60RcyIUKZQwOsb5YRHYBJHKMvOF
; 6kN1yzW7qjMcu7p+fWV+/DjTG5Sc
; ERZeEgz127O7Y8Cf/Cjz4NNgJnQQ
; Bg== )
;ns2.isc.org. 253 IN A 199.6.1.52
;ns2.isc.org. 253 IN AAAA 2001:500:60:d::52
;ns2.isc.org. 253 IN RRSIG A 13 3 7200 (
; 20260518111759 20260504105029 27566 isc.org.
; 9RqgaC0qRsNhr+wnD1NU4pccHyPh
; JjSHjjgO2/CalXQzT+KCWc/v4Hic
; gcC0eln4YTRQ91N///eXLnTUsD1z
; lA== )
;ns2.isc.org. 253 IN RRSIG AAAA 13 3 7200 (
; 20260518111515 20260504104234 27566 isc.org.
; wFxIauHbPMI1ccRccaO0VEzumAhp
; xw/T5L3HUKKH2UASaXjc1hU6Kw42
; hEYhg2g7uKJ+b3YaH8FD6Babuxwg
; iQ== )
;ns3.isc.org. 253 IN A 51.75.79.143
;ns3.isc.org. 253 IN AAAA 2001:41d0:701:1100::2c92
;ns3.isc.org. 253 IN RRSIG A 13 3 7200 (
; 20260518111515 20260504104234 27566 isc.org.
; QSq3Op3j2mJCrc12Meiz6jYy2B/K
; lEHEcWXV3YRuN06uuxpGamhVw0IG
; fbru0ZwpNjDMC1FofIITk1zo7hyS
; DQ== )
;ns3.isc.org. 253 IN RRSIG AAAA 13 3 7200 (
; 20260518111515 20260504104234 27566 isc.org.
; /9Spkv/tFLBQS+us5Heo4tP9yvkd
; tTxbCFfE0kJUPVpQNKA0edC9wTNB
; U8NW3nCaOokXCNEC/pxqoRv32I3f
; 9g== )
05-May-2026 15:33:15.000 log_ns_ttl: fctx 0x2cfd35000:
rctx_answer_none: isc.org (in 'isc.org'?): 1 254
05-May-2026 15:33:15.000 DNS format error from 51.75.79.143#53
resolving isc.org/NS for 127.0.0.1#51070: non-improving referral
05-May-2026 15:33:15.000 FORMERR resolving 'isc.org/NS/IN': 51.75.79.143#53
> Greg Choules <[email protected]>
>
> 9:25 AM (8 hours ago)
> to me, bind-users
> Hello Mark.
> I have the current MacOS on Apple Silicon and 9.20.22, installed via
> Homebrew, and it works for > me.
> Perhaps you could share your config, dig test and results and maybe a pcap.
>
> Cheers, Greg
--
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