DNS Forwarder VS setting firewall-rules to direct request to your own DNS server

[networknoob]

Hi all,

I've got a machine setup to act as DNS server. `m planning
to use the router's public ip as its public IP.

router -> pfsense -> my DNS server.

router's DMZ has been setup so that it forwards request to pfsense.

I'm thinking that I should be able to define a new firewall rules
that's basically saying:

WAN -> LAN .. source:* mydnsserver:53
and vice-versa from LAN->WAN

I couldn't make it work. There seems to be other rules that blocks
for some reason.

Another solution that I'm thinking is to define the DNS forwarder feature
in pfsense. Though I don't really have a clue what this does ?

Could someone help ?

Thanks,

[hoba]

The DNS forwarder is simply a dns cache that will resolve dns requests that it doesn't have in it's cahe thorugh the dns servers specified at system>general. You can make some custom resolutions by entering speciaal dns servers for special domains or overriding some hostnames by using static mappings.

[kattoz]

so, does this mean the dns forwarder on pfsense is likely to crash if used extensively?
and so, if wanting to use it extensively, use firewall rules?

Kaz

[sullrich]

Define extensively, I think to answer the overall question.

[trendchiller]

until now i did not have a single problem with that dns-forwarder and believe me: it is used like hell here :-)

i have 500 clients behind out own 2 DNS-Servers and both of them use pfSenses DNS forwarder as the next DNS-hop… it runs... no crashs...
use it and have fun !!!  :D