NAME

       pdns_recursor - high-performance, simple and secure recursing nameserver

SYNOPSIS

       pdns_recursor [OPTION]...

DESCRIPTION

       pdns_recursor(1)  is  a  high  performance,  simple  and  secure recursing nameserver.  It
       currently powers over two million internet connections.

       The recursor is configured via a configuration file, but each item in  that  file  can  be
       overridden on the command line.

       This  manpage  lists the core set of features needed to get the PowerDNS recursor working,
       for full and up to date details head to http://doc.powerdns.com/built-in-recursor.html

EXAMPLES

       To listen on 192.0.2.53 and allow the 192.0.2.0/24 subnet to recurse, and run as a daemon,
       execute:

       # pdns_recursor --local-address=192.0.2.53 --allow-from=192.0.2.0/24 --daemon

       To stop the recursor by hand, run:

       # rec_control quit

       However,  the  recommended  way of starting and stopping the recursor is to use the init.d
       script provided.

OPTIONS

       For  authoritative   listing   of   options,   consult   the   online   documentation   at
       http://doc.powerdns.com/md/recursor/settings/

       --allow-from=NETWORK[,NETWORK]...
              If  set,  only  allow these comma separated NETWORKs, with network mask to recurse.
              For example: 192.0.2.0/24,203.0.113.128/25.

       --auth-zones=ZONENAME=FILENAME[,ZONENAME=FILENAME]...
              Serve     ZONENAME     from     FILENAME     authoritatively.      For     example:
              ds9a.nl=/var/zones/ds9a.nl,powerdns.com=/var/zones/powerdns.com.

       --chroot=DIRECTORY
              chroot the process to DIRECTORY.

       --client-tcp-timeout=NUM
              Timeout in seconds when talking to TCP clients.

       --config-dir=DIRECTORY
              Location of configuration directory (recursor.conf), /etc/powerdns by default.

       --daemon
              Operate as a daemon.

       --delegation-only
              Which domains we only accept delegations from (a Verisign special).

       --entropy-source=FILE
              Read new entropy from FILE, defaults to /dev/urandom.

       --export-etc-hosts
              If  set,  this  flag  will  export  the  hostnames  and  IP  addresses mentioned in
              /etc/hosts.

       --forward-zones=ZONENAME=ADDRESS[,ZONENAME=ADDRESS]...
              Queries for ZONENAME will be  forwarded  to  ADDRESS.   ADDRESS  should  be  an  IP
              address,   not  a  hostname  (to  prevent  chicken  and  egg  problems).   Example:
              forward-zones= ds9a.nl=213.244.168.210, powerdns.com=127.0.0.1.

       --forward-zones-file=FILENAME
              Similar to --forward-zones, but read the options from  FILENAME.   FILENAME  should
              contain one zone per line, like: ds9a.nl=213.244.168.210.

       --help Show a summary of options.

       --hint-file=FILENAME
              Load root hints from this FILENAME

       --local-address=ADDRESS[,ADDRESS]...
              Listen on ADDRESS, separated by spaces or commas.

       --local-port=PORT
              Listen on PORT.

       --log-common-errors
              If we should log rather common errors.

       --max-cache-entries=NUM
              Maximum number of entries in the main cache.

       --max-negative-ttl=NUM
              maximum number of seconds to keep a negative cached entry in memory.

       --max-tcp-clients=NUM
              Maximum number of simultaneous TCP clients.

       --max-tcp-per-client
              If set, maximum number of TCP sessions per client (IP address).

       --query-local-address=ADDRESS
              Use ADDRESS as Source IP address when sending queries.

       --query-local-address6=ADDRESS
              Send out local IPv6 queries from ADDRESS.  Disabled by default, which also disables
              outgoing IPv6 support.  A useful setting is '::0'.

       --quiet
              Suppress logging of questions and answers.

       --server-id=TEXT
              Return TEXT when queried for 'server.id' TXT, defaults to hostname.

       --serve-rfc1918
              On by default, this makes the server  authoritatively  aware  of:  10.in-addr.arpa,
              168.192.in-addr.arpa  and  16-31.172.in-addr.arpa,  which  saves  load on the AS112
              servers.  Individual parts of these zones can still be loaded or forwarded.

       --setgid=GID
              If set, change group id to GID for more security.

       --setuid=UID
              If set, change user id to UID for more security.

       --single-socket
              If set, only use a single socket for outgoing queries.

       --socket-dir=DIRECTORY
              The controlsocket will live in DIRECTORY.

       --spoof-nearmiss-max=NUM
              If non-zero, assume spoofing after this many near misses.

       --trace
              if we should output heaps of logging.

       --version-string=TEXT
              TEXT will be reported on version.pdns or version.bind queries.

BUGS

       None known.  File new ones at https://github.com/PowerDNS/pdns/issues.

RESOURCES

       Website: http://www.powerdns.com, https://github.com/PowerDNS/pdns

SEE ALSO

       rec_control(1)

AUTHORS

       PowerDNS.COM BV.

                                            March 2008                           PDNS_RECURSOR(1)