Windows XP DNS Behavior

[WobbleWobble]

I'm looking for some confirmation here...

If a Windows XP machine has more than one DNS defined, it uses the primary (or top most in ipconfig /all) and will only go down that list if it is unavailable? Once it moves down that list, it stays there until the machine is rebooted.

I haven't had much luck with Google, but if anyone can point me to some official MS article on how DNS order behaves, that would be great.

Thanks!

 

[masteryoda34]

In my experience it tends to use both the primary and secondary, even if the primary is online.

 

[bsobel]

Originally posted by: WobbleWobble
I'm looking for some confirmation here...

If a Windows XP machine has more than one DNS defined, it uses the primary (or top most in ipconfig /all) and will only go down that list if it is unavailable? Once it moves down that list, it stays there until the machine is rebooted.

I haven't had much luck with Google, but if anyone can point me to some official MS article on how DNS order behaves, that would be great.

Thanks!

I'd have to dig, but my recollection is it uses the first to respond and sends requests to all.

 

[bsobel]

Look like I'm wrong see http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx/kb/320760

 

[WobbleWobble]

I left Wireshark running for a couple hours and it didn't deviate from my primary DNS (I have 3).

I did some additional testing and when the primary is used, the others are not. If the primary is not available, the secondary is used. If another request is made immediately afterwords, the primary is still tried before the secondary.

So I'm not sure why my testing contradicts that Microsoft KB article. I don't have that registry key on my system...