LPIC-1 Essential System Services and Networking Practice Question
An administrator is troubleshooting a DNS issue. The command 'dig @8.8.8.8 example.com' returns a response, but 'host example.com' returns 'Host not found'. Which of the following is the most likely cause?
⚠ Common exam trap
The trap here is that candidates see a successful 'dig' and assume DNS is fully working, not realizing that 'dig' with an explicit server bypasses the local resolver configuration, while 'host' relies on /etc/resolv.conf.
Answer choices
Why each option matters
Answer the question above first, then reveal the full breakdown to understand why each option is right or wrong.
Correct answer & explanation
✓
The /etc/resolv.conf file is misconfigured.
The command 'dig @8.8.8.8 example.com' succeeds, proving that the DNS server at 8.8.8.8 is reachable and functional, and that network connectivity is fine. However, 'host example.com' fails because it uses the system's default resolver, which reads /etc/resolv.conf to determine which DNS server to query. If /etc/resolv.conf is misconfigured (e.g., missing or incorrect nameserver entries), the resolver cannot reach a valid DNS server, resulting in 'Host not found'.
Answer analysis
Option-by-option breakdown
For each option: why learners choose it and why it is or isn't the right answer here.
- ✗
The network interface is down.
Why it's wrong here
Would affect both commands.
- ✗
The /etc/hosts file is corrupt.
Why it's wrong here
Corrupt hosts file would affect both similarly.
- ✗
The DNS server at 8.8.8.8 is not responding.
Why it's wrong here
But dig succeeded, so it is responding.
- ✓
The /etc/resolv.conf file is misconfigured.
Why this is correct
'host' uses local resolver, which may have wrong DNS servers.
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Written by Johnson Ajibi, MSc IT Security
Senior Network & Security Engineer · founder of Courseiva
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