ssh: Could not resolve hostname [hostname]: nodename nor servname provided, or not known

linux networking ssh dns
qaxf6auux picture qaxf6auux · Nov 27, 2013 · Viewed 497.7k times · Source

I am trying to set up a VPN with a Raspberry Pi, and the first step is gaining the ability to ssh into the device from outside my local network. For whatever reason, this is proving to be impossible and I haven't the slightest clue why. When I try to ssh into my server with user@hostname, I get the error:

ssh: Could not resolve hostname [hostname]: nodename nor servname provided, or not known

However, I can log into the server with,

ssh user@[local IP]

The server is a Raspberry Pi Model B running the latest distribution of Raspbian and the machine I am trying to connect to it with is a Macbook Pro running Mavericks. ssh was enabled on the Raspberry Pi when I set up Raspbian.

I have perused Stack Overflow for hours trying to see if anyone else had this problem and I have not found anything. Every ssh tutorial I find says that I should just be able to set it up on the remote machine and log in from anywhere using a hostname, and I have never had success with that.

Answer

Mo Bitar picture Mo Bitar · Nov 23, 2016

If you're on Mac, restarting the DNS responder fixed the issue for me.

sudo killall -HUP mDNSResponder

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