Forwarding local domain queries?

[4Leaf]

Hello everyone.

When is it that someone would need to enable the Forward local domain queries to upstream DNS setting in the lan dhcp server tab?

What is a situation that this could be used for?

 

[RMerlin]

Hello everyone.

When is it that someone would need to enable the Forward local domain queries to upstream DNS setting in the lan dhcp server tab?

What is a situation that this could be used for?

If you have a Windows Server, and need to configure your router to use it as its DNS instead of the ISP's DNS, so you can resolve your LAN domain.

 

[LoneWolf]

If you have a Windows Server, and need to configure your router to use it as its DNS instead of the ISP's DNS, so you can resolve your LAN domain.

Exactly; I'm doing that myself. And then I have a second DNS in the event I need to reboot the server, so that there's still internet access during the reboot.

 

[diwa]

Does it really works?

Hi,

I'm trying to use this feature with OpenDNS (asuswrt-merlin v 376.45), but what ever is the value of "Forward local domain queries to upstream DNS", it seems to be sent to OpenDNS.

I've just added the OpenDNS IP in the LAN->DHCP Server->DNS Server, and set "Forward local domain queries to upstream DNS" to No.

I've tried the following:
192.168.66.70 has an entry in my Asus's DHCP list "onehost"

ping 192.168.66.70
PING 192.168.66.70 (192.168.66.70): 56 data bytes
64 bytes from 192.168.66.70: icmp_seq=0 ttl=64 time=0.126 ms

ping onehost
ping: cannot resolve onehost: Unknown host

nslookup 192.168.66.70
*** Aucun enregistrement internal type for both IPv4 and IPv6 Addresses (A+AAAA) disponible pour 192.168.66.70
Serveur : resolver2.opendns.com
Address: 208.67.220.220

I've tried with Google's 8.8.8.8 with the same result:

nslookup 192.168.66.70
can't find 70.66.168.192.in-addr.arpa.: NXDOMAIN

Have missed something or is there a bug somewhere?

One note, before setting a DNS Server it was blank and thus using my ISP's and local names were resolved as expected.


Thanks

 

[RMerlin]

The option to forward local queries has nothing to do with the DNS server you wish to use. As I mentionned, you should not enable that unless you use an internal name server, such as a Windows Server.

If you want to use OpenDNS, I recommend leaving your router's DNS field blank on the DHCP page, and enabling DNSFilter under Parental Control.

 

[diwa]

Indeed, I should have started with my need:

I want to replace my default DNS Server (my ISP's).​

This DNS server entry from DHCP section looked promising. I've set it up with OpenDNS IP but as soon as this is activated, my local names (manually configured in DHCP Server section) are not recognized anymore.

Thus my question on the forward option, as it seems to be forwarded even if it is set to "no".

I've reverted back to default and then tried the DNSFilter as you mentioned. Unfortunately results are exactly the same. As soon as activated local names are unknown.

My next question is then, can I reach my goal (using OpenDNS) with local names configured in the router?

Thanks

 

[ColinTaylor]

My next question is then, can I reach my goal (using OpenDNS) with local names configured in the router?

Yes. Go to WAN > Internet Connection >WAN DNS Setting

Set "Connect to DNS Server automatically" to No
Set "DNS Server1" to 208.67.222.222
Set "DNS Server2" to 208.67.220.220

 

[diwa]

Perfect, thanks a million!
There are too much DNS entries in the different menus.
Case closed

 

[RMerlin]

Indeed, I should have started with my need:

I want to replace my default DNS Server (my ISP's).​

This DNS server entry from DHCP section looked promising. I've set it up with OpenDNS IP but as soon as this is activated, my local names (manually configured in DHCP Server section) are not recognized anymore.

Thus my question on the forward option, as it seems to be forwarded even if it is set to "no".

I've reverted back to default and then tried the DNSFilter as you mentioned. Unfortunately results are exactly the same. As soon as activated local names are unknown.

My next question is then, can I reach my goal (using OpenDNS) with local names configured in the router?

Thanks

When you set a DNS on the DHCP page, it tells your clients to directly use that DNS, without even talking to your router anymore for DNS queries. It's normal then that you can no longer resolve local hostnames - your computers are no longer talking at all with your router for DNS duties, they go directly to the specified DNS.

 

[diwa]

It's normal then that you can no longer resolve local hostnames - your computers are no longer talking at all with your router for DNS duties, they go directly to the specified DNS.

This explains what I experienced, even though:

"Forward local domain queries to upstream DNS = no"

leads to even more confusion.
I, for sure, miss smthg but my network skills are poor enough not to see all possible use cases.

Anyway, I got it working thanks again for your help and clarifications

 

[jrbdmb]

Question on the above - So when I am setting up my wireless printer (which already has a static address), should I be setting the DNS to an OpenDNS/GoogleDNS address or to the address of my router?

 

[ColinTaylor]

Question on the above - So when I am setting up my wireless printer (which already has a static address), should I be setting the DNS to an OpenDNS/GoogleDNS address or to the address of my router?

For a printer I don't think it will make any difference. Standard practice would be to set it to the IP address of your local DNS server. Which your case would be the IP address of the router.

 

[jrbdmb]

For a printer I don't think it will make any difference. Standard practice would be to set it to the IP address of your local DNS server. Which your case would be the IP address of the router.

Thanks. I had previously has DNS for my printers and Synology NAS set either to null (which I expect defaults to the gateway/router) or to an external DNS. I will make sure they are pointing to the gateway.