openVPN Client reconnection problem -Cannot resolve host address

[mikfor]

hello I am new here and hope you guys can help me with following problem:

i am using the latest build of merlin and connect to a vpn server with open vpn -this is working. after 24h I get automatically disconnected from the von server and my vpn client isn't able to reconnect. I think it is some kind of dns problem. (in the wan section i use the google dns servers) I get following message back: "RESOLVE: Cannot resolve host address Name or service not known" (see attached log) do you have a idea how to reconnect without this problem?

thx for the help!

 

[RMerlin]

Try using the IP address instead of the hostname, see if it helps.

Please confirm the exact build number you are using, in case you aren't really using the latest version.

 

[mikfor]

I am on version "378.56_2"

good idea to try it with the IP - the thing is, they do some kind of load balancing over the host name so if I am connecting over the IP this wouldn't work anymore - but i will try....

 

[joegreat]

I am using the latest build of merlin and connect to a vpn server with open vpn -this is working. after 24h I get automatically disconnected from the von server and my vpn client isn't able to reconnect. I think it is some kind of dns problem. (in the wan section i use the google dns servers) I get following message back: "RESOLVE: Cannot resolve host address Name or service not known" (see attached log) do you have a idea how to reconnect without this problem?

Hi,

Most likely the DNS settings from the VPN provider is still active, but does not work anymore as you are disconnected.

For this (and other) reason(s), I am not using my VPN provider DNS but have a dnscrypt setup in parallel to resolve from a different DNS server, which is independent from the VPN provider.

Viele Grüße
Joe

 

[john9527]

If you have Accept DNS Configuration set to Exclusive, try using Strict or Relaxed. Otherwise you get into a catch-22...exclusive says to only use the VPN DNS servers, but you are now disconnected from the VPN....

Also, if you are using DNS Filter, it can play in the game depending on how you have it set up.

 

[mikfor]

i set the dns settings to disabled - i will try to set it to relaxed or strict and see if it helps.

at the moment i am using the google dns servers under the wan settings (disabled connect to dns automaticly) and in the LAN settings i have the fields for dns blank and Advertise router's IP in addition to user-specified DNS on NO and also Forward local domain queries to upstream DNS on NO

when i run ipleak.net test i just get the google DNS servers bak so i think i am not using the VPNs DNS Servres...

Also i think i am not using any kind of DNS Filter... (where would i find this settings?)

 

[mikfor]

so the 24h passed and i was able to test the connection with the ip address instead of the hostname - now the reconnect is working.

so it really has to do something with the DNS....

any ideas how to change my settings to prevent this DNS loss while reconnecting? what does the diffrent settings in "Accept DNS Configuration" mean? (disabled, strict, exclusive, relaxed)

i always see in the logs that when i connect to the DNS server that four DNS servers are used the google ones i entered under WAN settings and also two DNS servers from the DNS server - how can i prevent that?

 

[joegreat]

so it really has to do something with the DNS....

any ideas how to change my settings to prevent this DNS loss while reconnecting?

Could it be that your VPN configuration has a option set to enforce the VPN provider DNS (regardless of the setting on the router interface)?
Would something like push "dhcp-option DNS xxx.yyy.zzz.aaa"

My solution is to use dnscrypt in parallel to the VPN connection. This makes sure that you have encrypted DNS access with and without VPN.