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“Temporary failure in name resolution” means your VPS cannot turn a hostname into an IP address. First separate DNS from general networking: run ping -c 3 1.1.1.1, then test the normal resolver path with getent hosts example.com, then bypass the local configuration with dig @1.1.1.1 example.com +short. Those three results identify whether the fault is routing, the resolver configuration, a local DNS service, port 53 filtering, or your VPS provider.
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What the error means
Linux programs such as ping, curl, apt and dnf ask the system resolver to translate a name such as example.com into an IP address. The message appears when that lookup fails. A VPS can still have a valid interface, default route and Internet connectivity while name lookups fail.
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The word “temporary” describes the resolver result returned to the application; it does not promise that the problem will clear on its own. An empty or stale /etc/resolv.conf, a broken symlink, a stopped resolver service, a network manager rewriting settings, a VPN or container change, blocked DNS traffic, or a provider-side DNS problem can all produce the same text.
Run the three tests in order
Do not begin by overwriting /etc/resolv.conf. The sequence below preserves the evidence needed to choose a durable fix.
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- Check raw IP connectivity:
ping -c 3 1.1.1.1. If this fails, the problem is not limited to DNS. Inspect the interface, route, firewall and VPS-provider network first. - Check the ordinary application path:
getent hosts example.com. This uses the configured libc/NSS resolver path, which is what most applications use. - Query a DNS server directly:
dig @1.1.1.1 example.com +short. This bypasses the nameservers listed in your local resolver configuration. - Inspect the resolver file:
cat /etc/resolv.confandls -l /etc/resolv.conf. Record its contents and whether it is a regular file or a symbolic link.
Interpret the results
| Observed result | What it indicates | Next action |
|---|---|---|
ping -c 3 1.1.1.1 fails |
The VPS does not have working connectivity to that address. | Inspect ip addr, ip route, interface state, firewall rules and provider networking before changing DNS. |
IP ping works; getent hosts example.com fails |
The normal local resolver/NSS path is failing. | Inspect /etc/resolv.conf, identify its owner, and check the relevant resolver service or network profile. |
dig @1.1.1.1 example.com +short works; getent fails |
Network access to a DNS server works, but local configuration or the local resolver service is wrong. | Repair the resolver owner’s configuration rather than repeatedly editing the generated file. |
Both getent and direct dig fail while IP ping works |
The route may allow ordinary traffic but DNS queries may be blocked, the upstream server may be unreachable, or the provider’s DNS service may be down. | Check UDP and TCP port 53 filtering, try the provider’s documented resolver, and escalate to the provider if its DNS or routing is faulty. |
Inspect /etc/resolv.conf without destroying its ownership
Run:
cat /etc/resolv.conf
ls -l /etc/resolv.confA usable file normally contains one or more nameserver entries. A line such as nameserver 127.0.0.53 usually means applications are meant to talk to the local systemd-resolved stub, not directly to an Internet resolver. That address is valid only while the local service is running and has working upstream DNS.
The second command tells you whether the file is a symlink managed by another service. A hand-edited regular file may be replaced when the interface reconnects, a service restarts or the VPS reboots. A broken symlink can leave applications with no usable resolver file at all.
Do not replace a managed symlink merely because its contents look unfamiliar. First identify whether systemd-resolved, NetworkManager, netplan, ifupdown/resolvconf, cloud-init or provider DHCP metadata is authoritative on this VPS.
Fix a VPS using systemd-resolved
Confirm the stub and upstream servers
If /etc/resolv.conf points to 127.0.0.53, inspect per-link and upstream information with:
resolvectl statusLook for the active interface, DNS servers supplied to that link, and the global fallback information. If no upstream server is listed, or the listed server is unreachable, correct the network or resolver configuration that supplies those values. The stub itself cannot answer names when it has no functioning upstream.
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Restart or flush only after correcting the cause
After restoring valid upstream DNS, restart the service if it is running but stuck:
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sudo resolvectl flush-cachesThese commands do not create upstream DNS settings. Restarting a service with an empty or unreachable configuration simply reproduces the failure, so verify the values with resolvectl status afterward.
Re-test the complete path
Run getent hosts example.com, then dig example.com, and finally the command that originally failed, such as curl or apt update. If the interface was reconnected or the VPS rebooted to apply the network change, repeat the tests after that event to confirm the fix survives it.
Fix a VPS where NetworkManager owns DNS
NetworkManager may generate /etc/resolv.conf from the active connection profile. In that setup, editing the file directly is temporary: reconnecting the interface or restarting NetworkManager can regenerate it.
Change the active connection profile
Use NetworkManager’s connection configuration (for example, with nmcli) to set the nameservers on the active profile. The exact connection name and address values depend on the VPS. Make the change in the profile that supplies the active interface, not in an unused profile.
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Reconnect and verify regeneration
Reconnect the profile or restart the relevant networking service so NetworkManager writes the new resolver state. Then inspect both:
ls -l /etc/resolv.conf
cat /etc/resolv.confConfirm that the file now contains usable nameservers or points to the intended local stub. Finally run getent hosts example.com and the previously failing application command. If a reboot removes the setting, the profile was not the authoritative configuration or the provider is replacing it.
Fix netplan, ifupdown, cloud-init or provider-managed DNS
Ubuntu netplan, Debian ifupdown/resolvconf, cloud-init and VPS-provider DHCP metadata can each define nameservers. The correct repair is made at that layer, then applied through its normal mechanism.
Netplan
Set nameservers in the netplan configuration for the interface that carries the default route, apply the configuration, and check resolvectl status plus /etc/resolv.conf. Keep the generated symlink arrangement intact unless you have deliberately changed which resolver service owns it.
ifupdown or resolvconf
Adjust the interface or resolvconf configuration that supplies DNS, bring the interface or networking service back up, and inspect the regenerated resolver file. A direct edit made after the interface is up can disappear at the next reconnect.
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cloud-init and provider DHCP
Some VPS images receive resolver addresses from cloud-init or DHCP metadata supplied by the provider. Change the provider or image-level network setting when that is the source, then apply the configuration and re-check the active link. If the provider supplies an internal resolver, it may be required for names inside the provider’s network even when a public resolver answers Internet domains.
When you cannot determine the owner, capture ls -l /etc/resolv.conf, the file contents, resolvectl status and the active network profile before changing anything. Those details let provider support identify which layer is rewriting DNS.
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Check DNS transport and firewall rules
DNS normally uses port 53 over UDP and can also use TCP. A VPS firewall, host firewall, security group or upstream provider filter that blocks port 53 can make every resolver configuration appear correct while lookups still time out. This is especially likely when ping -c 3 1.1.1.1 succeeds but dig @1.1.1.1 example.com +short does not.
- Check outbound firewall rules for DNS traffic on UDP and TCP port 53.
- Check provider-level security controls and any policy that forces use of an internal resolver.
- Compare a public resolver query with the resolver address supplied by the VPS provider.
- If both fail despite a working route and permitted port 53, treat an upstream DNS outage or provider routing fault as a likely cause.
Do not infer that an ICMP ping proves DNS is available. ICMP reachability and DNS transport are separate tests.
Common failure patterns and the durable response
| Pattern | Likely cause | Durable response |
|---|---|---|
| Empty or stale resolver file | No usable nameserver is available to libc/NSS. | Set DNS in the service or network layer that generates the file, then regenerate it. |
Broken /etc/resolv.conf symlink |
The link targets a missing or inactive resolver file. | Restore the distribution’s intended link and ensure its owning service is enabled and configured. |
127.0.0.53 listed but lookups fail |
Applications reach the systemd-resolved stub, but the service has no working upstream. | Use resolvectl status to repair per-link/upstream DNS, then restart or flush as appropriate. |
| Settings vanish after reconnect or reboot | NetworkManager, netplan, resolvconf, cloud-init or DHCP regenerated the file. | Change the authoritative profile or metadata source instead of hand-editing the generated file. |
| IP connectivity works; direct DNS query fails | Port 53 filtering, unreachable upstream DNS or a provider-side DNS fault. | Check UDP/TCP 53 and provider resolver requirements before changing local files. |
| Failure began after a VPN or container change | The new software altered resolver links, nameservers or routing. | Inspect the current owner and active link; restore the intended host resolver configuration. |
Verify the repair from the application’s point of view
A successful direct query is not enough if ordinary programs still use a different resolver path. Complete this verification after every change:
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- Run
getent hosts example.comand confirm that it returns an address. - Run
dig example.comwithout an@serverargument to test the configured resolver path. - Repeat the command that failed, such as
curlorapt update. - If the change required an interface reconnect or reboot, repeat all three checks afterward.
If dig @1.1.1.1 works but dig example.com or getent still fails, the local resolver owner remains misconfigured. If both direct and normal queries fail while raw IP traffic works, return to port 53, upstream DNS and provider-network checks.
When to involve VPS support
Escalate after you have recorded the test results and configuration state, rather than sending only the error message. Provide whether ping -c 3 1.1.1.1 succeeds, the outputs of getent hosts example.com and dig @1.1.1.1 example.com +short, the contents and link target of /etc/resolv.conf, and relevant resolvectl status output.
Ask the provider whether it requires an internal resolver, whether outbound UDP/TCP port 53 is filtered, and whether it is experiencing a DNS or routing fault. A provider can also confirm which DHCP or metadata service is expected to populate nameservers on that VPS image.
Manual edits are not a reliable long-term strategy on managed systems. Broadcom Support states: “Manual edits to /etc/resolv.conf are lost immediately after a reboot or a restart of the systemd-networkd service.” Treat that as a warning to fix the configuration owner, not the generated artifact.
Quick Recap
A compact recovery checklist
- Test the route with
ping -c 3 1.1.1.1. - Test libc/NSS with
getent hosts example.com. - Bypass local settings with
dig @1.1.1.1 example.com +short. - Inspect
cat /etc/resolv.confandls -l /etc/resolv.conf. - Identify whether systemd-resolved, NetworkManager, netplan, ifupdown/resolvconf, cloud-init or provider DHCP owns DNS.
- Repair nameservers at that owner, then reconnect or apply its configuration.
- Use
resolvectl status; restart systemd-resolved or flush caches only when appropriate. - Check UDP/TCP port 53 and provider-specific resolver requirements.
- Verify with
getent, normaldigand the original application command, including after reboot when persistence matters.
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