Published on: 2014-06-11T14:24:21+00:00
The Bitcoin DNS seed infrastructure has been identified as unstable, potentially due to a custom DNS implementation that is not fully compatible. In the past, bugs such as case-sensitive matches for domain names have also contributed to the problem. The current state of the seeds, as reported by bitcoinj, reveals that some are functioning properly while others are experiencing SERVFAIL issues. One seed is being tested across multiple ISPs and another is only returning one node.Telefónica, one of Europe's largest ISPs, has encountered difficulties with the testnet-seed.bitcoin.petertodd.org seed. While there is a desire to address the situation, the writer of the article lacks the necessary C writing skills to do so. Suggestions have been made to increase the number of seeders and enable zone transfers, allowing existing seeders to distribute their records to multiple servers running standard DNS servers like bind, among others.The writer proposes a potential fix by re-implementing everything in Java, although they acknowledge that others may not be satisfied with this solution. It is crucial for Bitcoin apps to account for the potential issues associated with relying solely on seeds, as they serve as a backup for peer exchange. Jeff Garzik, a Bitcoin core developer and open-source evangelist, emphasizes the importance of addressing the problem but notes that it could also be attributed to issues with bitcoinj or other layers within the app. Garzik works for BitPay, Inc., a payment service provider facilitating Bitcoin payments for merchants.
Updated on: 2023-08-01T09:15:49.337291+00:00