Error messages

EAI_AGAIN on Mac

EAI_AGAIN indicates that a name could not be resolved at this time. A later attempt may succeed.

Applies to: macOS and command-line tools that report getaddrinfo errors. Containers and remote machines have their own network settings.Checked: 2 November 2026

Symptoms

An app or command reports EAI_AGAIN while looking up a host.
A package download or other network request fails before it reaches the server.

Likely causes

A temporary resolver failure. The configured resolver may not answer or may return a temporary failure.
A network or VPN problem. The path to the configured DNS server may be unavailable.
A different execution environment. A container, VM or remote machine can use different DNS settings from the Mac.

How to check

Retry the command once. A temporary failure may clear.
Look up the failing host on the Mac. Replace example.com with the host in the error.
```
dscacheutil -q host -a name example.com
```
Show the Mac's current DNS configuration.
```
scutil --dns
```
If the command runs elsewhere, test DNS in that environment too.

How to fix it

If other names fail too, check the connection and DNS. See DNS not resolving on a Mac.
If a VPN provides private DNS, reconnect it or ask its administrator.
Check proxy and resolver settings in the container or remote environment when it alone fails.

With Kilobat

Check the host from this Mac. A container or remote environment needs its own check.
```
kilobat why example.com
```

Questions

Does EAI_AGAIN mean that the domain does not exist?

No. It reports a temporary lookup failure. It does not prove that the name is absent.

Does a successful Mac lookup prove a container can resolve the name?

No. A container may use a different resolver and network path.

Sources

Checked on 2 November 2026.