LPIC-2 Network Client Management Practice Question
A system administrator needs to configure a Linux client to use a specific DNS server for a particular domain. Which file should be modified to achieve this?
⚠ Common exam trap
A common mix-up: candidates confuse /etc/resolv.conf with /etc/nsswitch.conf, thinking the latter controls DNS server selection, when in fact nsswitch.conf only defines the lookup order (e.g., files before dns) and not the actual DNS server addresses.
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
✓
Edit /etc/resolv.conf
The /etc/resolv.conf file is the primary configuration file for DNS resolution on Linux systems. It allows specifying DNS servers (nameserver entries) and search domains, and can be configured to use a specific DNS server for a particular domain by adding a 'domain' or 'search' directive along with the appropriate nameserver. This file is read by the resolver library (glibc) during DNS lookups.
Answer analysis
Option-by-option breakdown
For each option: why learners choose it and why it is or isn't the right answer here.
- ✗
Edit /etc/hosts
Why it's wrong here
hosts file is for static IP-to-hostname mappings, not DNS server configuration.
- ✗
Edit /etc/networks
Why it's wrong here
networks file is for mapping network names to network numbers, not DNS configuration.
- ✗
Edit /etc/nsswitch.conf
Why it's wrong here
nsswitch.conf controls the order of name resolution services, not DNS server configuration for a specific domain.
- ✓
Edit /etc/resolv.conf
Why this is correct
resolv.conf contains DNS server IPs and domain/search directives to specify default domains.
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Written by Johnson Ajibi, MSc IT Security
Senior Network & Security Engineer · founder of Courseiva
This LPIC-2 practice question is part of Courseiva's free LPI certification practice question bank. Courseiva provides original exam-style practice questions with explanations, topic-based practice, mock exams, readiness tracking, and study analytics to help learners prepare for the LPIC-2 exam.