DNS Ordering

[Scott Robinson]

Hola,

I have two DNS servers listed. The router itself, and then a secondary server which is based at the other end of a connected VPN connection.

If I nslookup a query to the router it fails, but if I nslookup a query to the VPN connected DNS it works. Hurrah, that's what I want (as the router itself shouldnt resolve 'work' DNS names)

But... The router doesnt want to 'pass' it to the second DNS server if it fails.
Am I missing something, or just misunderstanding how the whole 'two DNS servers' thing should work?

 

[ColinTaylor]

But... The router doesnt want to 'pass' it to the second DNS server if it fails.
Am I missing something, or just misunderstanding how the whole 'two DNS servers' thing should work?

Yes, I think you are misunderstanding.

If you lookup a name it will use the primary DNS. If that DNS sever replies that the name is invalid, then that's a valid reply. It will only query the secondary DNS if there is no response at all from the primary DNS, i.e. it is offline/unreachable.