Debug DNS on Google ChromeBook

Step 1: Install Linux on Your Chromebook

Chromebooks now support Linux (Beta), which gives you access to a full terminal with standard networking tools.

1. Open Settings on your Chromebook.
2. Look for Linux (Beta) in the left sidebar menu.
3. Select this option and click Turn On.
4. Wait for the installation process to complete.
5. A new Linux terminal window will open automatically when finished.

Step 2: Install Network Utilities

The default Linux installation is a minimal (vanilla) install, meaning it does not include networking tools like nslookup or dig. You need to install them manually.

Switch to the root user and install the required packages:

sudo su -
apt-get update
apt-get install dnsutils -y

This installs the dnsutils package, which includes nslookup, dig, and other DNS troubleshooting tools.

Step 3: Debug Your DNS

Once the tools are installed, you can verify your CleanBrowsing DNS configuration by running:

nslookup -type=txt debug.cleanbrowsing.org

This will show you which CleanBrowsing filter is currently active.

You can also test if a specific domain is being blocked:

nslookup example-blocked-site.com 185.228.168.168

And use dig for more detailed DNS information:

dig @185.228.168.168 example.com