The FROOT_TGD1 node, labeled AS210762, is a provisioned but not fully confirmed active anycast instance of ISC’s F-Root DNS root server at MIXP.me in Podgorica. Public registry and peering evidence define its identity and local peering; missing BGP announcements leave its operational status ambiguous. Its presence, if active, would improve DNS resolution locally and serve as a Balkan resilience point. Watchpoints center on registry changes, prefix visibility, and peering activity.

FROOT_TGD1 Internet Systems Consortium Inc.

FROOT_TGD1 is an anycast instance of the F-Root DNS root server, operated by Internet Systems Consortium Inc. at the MIXP.me exchange in Podgorica, Montenegro. Public evidence links it to AS210762 and peering records, though live routing activity is unconfirmed. The node matters for local DNS resilience in the Balkans.

Why It Matters

If the node becomes operational with active BGP announcements, it will materially reduce DNS root query latency for networks on MIXP.me and nearby. Conversely, decommissioning or prolonged inactivity would force those queries to more distant anycast sites, degrading performance and potentially stressing other infrastructure.

What Public Sources Show

The FROOT_TGD1 node in Podgorica, Montenegro, is a critical but discreet part of the internet’s Domain Name System. Operated by the non-profit Internet Systems Consortium (ISC), this anycast server brings the F-Root DNS root server locally, cutting query latency for Balkan users and bolstering regional resilience. Its quiet operation carries implications for connectivity and DNS security.

Public evidence identifies the node through autonomous system number AS210762 and the names FROOT_TGD1 or ISC F-ROOT TGD1. It is registered to ISC in the RIPE database and appears on PeeringDB as a network at the Montenegro Internet eXchange Point (MIXP.me). ISC’s website confirms F-Root has been running since 1994, now using anycast to distribute queries globally.

The node’s control surface rests on the RIPE aut-num record, PeeringDB entries, and the public F-Root IP addresses 192.5.5.241 and 2001:500:2f::f. At MIXP.me, it peers via a 10G link using IPv4 185.1.44.90 and IPv6 2001:7f8:22::a. Yet PeeringDB shows no advertised prefixes, and we could not confirm live BGP announcements, clouding the node’s active status.

For regional networks, a local F-Root instance means faster DNS lookups. If the node went down, queries would re-route to other anycast sites, but with higher latency. Montenegro’s telecom regulator reported average traffic of just 0.2 Mbps down and 0.1 Mbps up in 2024, indicating light but steady use consistent with a functioning DNS server.

The profile is built from official sources: RIPE NCC, PeeringDB, ISC’s own pages, Cloudflare Radar, and Montenegro’s 2024 electronic communications report. These consistently locate the node in Podgorica under ISC’s authority. However, the absence of BGP announcements means we cannot verify live routing. Some PeeringDB contacts are hidden, so operational reach is limited.

Observers should track the RIPE AS210762 record for reassignment or status changes, and watch for any IPv4 or IPv6 prefix announcements that would signal active routing. Alterations in the MIXP.me peering session or the node’s PeeringDB profile could indicate reconfiguration. Periodic reviews of Montenegro’s regulatory reports may reveal traffic shifts.

The evidence places FROOT_TGD1 firmly within ISC’s F-Root anycast family, but its exact operational state—live, testing, or dormant—remains uncertain. The lack of BGP data is the main gap. Until that appears, the node should be treated as provisioned but not fully confirmed active. Its quiet existence is a reminder of the invisible infrastructure supporting the internet’s root.

Operating Surface

It functions as part of ISC's global F-Root anycast cloud, answering DNS root queries on well-known IP addresses and peering locally at MIXP.me. This specific node improves query latency for networks in the region and contributes to the distributed robustness of the root server system.

The node is a public F-Root presence tied to ISC, a key internet infrastructure organization. Monitoring its registry status, peering activity, and routing announcements helps assess the health and expansion of DNS root services in the Balkan region. Changes could impact local internet resilience and reveal ISC deployment strategies.

Watchpoints

The TGD1 node represents ISC’s expansion of F-Root anycast into the Balkan region via a local exchange. While the node appears provisioned, the absence of BGP announcements suggests it may be in a testing or standby phase. Its activation would mark a modest but tangible improvement in regional DNS resilience, worth tracking for signs of ISC’s strategic deployment patterns and MIXP.me’s development as a regional hub.

Monitor the RIPE aut-num record for AS210762 for any reassignment or status change. Watch for the appearance of any IPv4 or IPv6 prefix announcements originating from AS210762, which would confirm live routing. Track PeeringDB updates for the network and exchange entries; a change in peering status or contact information could indicate operational shifts. Periodically check the Montenegro electronic communications regulator’s annual reports for traffic data or mentions of F-Root presence.

Live BGP data is the critical missing piece; without it, the node’s active routing status cannot be confirmed. Physical hosting details (facility, upstream connectivity) and operational contacts beyond PeeringDB’s hidden fields are not publicly documented. Any public roadmap or announcement from ISC regarding TGD1 would clarify intent.

Sources

• Internet registry record - public-source identity and registry context for FROOT_TGD1 Internet Systems Consortium Inc..
• RIPE registry record - RIPE Database lookup for AS210762 records aut-num AS210762, as-name FROOT_TGD1, org ORG-ISCI1-RIPE, status ASSIGNED, maintainer MAINT-ISC, and route-policy references to AS3557 and AS47451.
• PeeringDB network profile - PeeringDB identifies network 27981 as ISC F-ROOT TGD1 under Internet Systems Consortium, Inc. (ISC), ASN 210762, IRR as-set AS-FROOT, open peering policy, zero IPv4 and IPv6 prefixes, and a MIXP.me exchange connection.
• PeeringDB network profile - PeeringDB describes MIXP.me as Montenegro Internet eXchange Point in Podgorica, ME, and lists ISC F-ROOT TGD1 as a peer with ASN 210762, 10G speed, IPv4 185.1.44.90, and IPv6 2001:7f8:22::a.
• isc.org - ISC states it operates F-Root, one of the 13 Internet root name servers, since 1994; F-Root uses hierarchical anycast and BIND 9 and answers on 192.5.5.241 and 2001:500:2f::f.
• isc.org - ISC's F-Root technical requirements define dual-stack node connectivity, management, transit and exchange address needs, reliability expectations, network neutrality requirements, and route-server preference for IX deployments.
• isc.org - ISC describes itself as an Internet infrastructure software and services organization, says it operates F-Root, and identifies Internet Systems Consortium, Inc. as a Delaware 501(c)(3) company.
• radar.cloudflare.com - Cloudflare Radar identifies AS210762 as FROOT_TGD1, aka ISC F-ROOT TGD1, associated with the United States and https://www.isc.org/.
• ekip.me - Montenegro's 2024 annual electronic communications report says F-Root servers were connected to MIXP at the end of 2024 on 1 Gb/s links and lists ISC F-Root TGD1 average traffic of 0.2 Mb/s downstream and 0.1 Mb/s upstream.
• RIPE registry record - A RIPE NCC regional meeting presentation by the University of Montenegro lists ISC F-ROOT TGD1 among MIXP members for the 2021 and 2022 reporting period.