Thank you for a detailed and competent answer. This clarifies the issue. Now it makes sense why this cannot and should not be fixed in Ubuntu.
To summarize: If you experience lookup delays, change your /etc/nsswitch.conf to this: $ cat /etc/nsswitch.conf # /etc/nsswitch.conf # # Example configuration of GNU Name Service Switch functionality. # If you have the `glibc-doc-reference' and `info' packages installed, try: # `info libc "Name Service Switch"' for information about this file. passwd: compat group: compat shadow: compat # https://bugs.launchpad.net/ubuntu/+source/nss-mdns/+bug/94940 # Original, delayed lookup on improperly configured internal networks: #hosts: files mdns4_minimal [NOTFOUND=return] dns # Use this if you're not on a local network with Microsoft services or if you don't need on them: #hosts: files dns # Delays looking up hosts on your internal network, but you *will* get the best of both worlds; # multicast DNS resolution *and* resolution of your incorrectly-named internal network: hosts: files mdns4_minimal dns networks: files protocols: db files services: db files ethers: db files rpc: db files netgroup: nis -- You received this bug notification because you are a member of Ubuntu Bugs, which is subscribed to Ubuntu. https://bugs.launchpad.net/bugs/94940 Title: mdns listed in nsswitch.conf causes excessive time for dns lookups To manage notifications about this bug go to: https://bugs.launchpad.net/ubuntu/+source/avahi/+bug/94940/+subscriptions -- ubuntu-bugs mailing list ubuntu-bugs@lists.ubuntu.com https://lists.ubuntu.com/mailman/listinfo/ubuntu-bugs