I have just found out that 192.112.36.4
(g.root-servers.net.
) neither responds to requests, nor responds to pings.
. 3600000 NS G.ROOT-SERVERS.NET.
G.ROOT-SERVERS.NET. 3600000 A 192.112.36.4
I checked http://www.internic.net/domain/named.root, which is an up2date list of root servers and the IP address is correct. I always was under the impression that those root servers are redundant to the point where it is impossible that there is downtime. According to http://root-servers.org there are worldwide six locations where servers are located, so I would assume I am correct with that assumption.
My question is if g.root-servers.net.
is in any way different from all the others, or special,
and if I am supposed to not get a DNS response from it for any reason?
neither responds to requests, nor responds to pings
- Ping is only a useful tool when and if you know that you should get a response from the target. You're statement that it doesn't respond to pings implies that you think that you should get a response. Now as it turns out, all of the other root servers respond to pings so it's a pretty safe assumption that g.root-servers.net should as well, but that's an assumption nonetheless. Only use ping when you absolutely know that the target should respond, otherwise you're wasting your time tilting at windmills.