<?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8"?><rss xmlns:dc="http://purl.org/dc/elements/1.1/" xmlns:content="http://purl.org/rss/1.0/modules/content/" xmlns:atom="http://www.w3.org/2005/Atom" version="2.0"><channel><title><![CDATA[Dual WAN+4G Failover - how to block DNS lookups out on non active WAN?]]></title><description><![CDATA[<p dir="auto">Hello,<br />
I am trying to setup a Dual WAN Failover scenario with WAN (static IP interface) + 4G modem WAN2 interface using Gateway Group with Tier1 on WAN and Tier2 on WAN2mobile.</p>
<ul>
<li>I have defined one DNS on each WAN (8.8.8.8) and WAN2mobile (8.8.4.4)</li>
<li>I have tried both Forwarding and Non-Forwarding mode on DNS Resolver.  (but will use the Forwarding mode as it will work better with MultiWAN according to Jim Pingle)</li>
<li>I have tied the outgoing interfaces in DNS Resolver to WAN + WAN2. (to allow DNS traffic on any of these interfaces)</li>
<li>I have changed the rules to use the Gateway Group in for all the relevant rules.</li>
</ul>
<p dir="auto">The problem I am struggeling with is:<br />
How can I prevent the system to <strong>NOT send out any DNS requests on WAN2</strong> until this interface becomes active at the failover scenario. (Tier2 becomes active)<br />
I have tried with and without the "Default gateway switching" but no difference. (Think this should be off, when doing "Gateway Group" AFAIK ?!)<br />
And I do want to use pfSense as resolver for the clients as I want to be able to use the Host override function for local lookups of local services.</p>
<p dir="auto">I would like the WAN2 interface to be almost silent and only possible send out some local ARP requests, some local Broadcasts and<br />
possible some unfrequent pings by dpinger to verify connectivity of the interface. I have already disabled all the SSDP packets on<br />
the interface today with rules.</p>
<p dir="auto">As it is now, I am seeing a lot of DNS requests originating from the pfSense WAN2mobile IP-interface IP towards external DNS servers<br />
and it is NOT triggered by any local LAN PC as the only PC currently using this router is my desktop PC and I have done a packet capture<br />
on the incoming LAN (in pfSense) using promiscious mode and could not see any device trigging the DNS requests seen out on WAN2.</p>
<p dir="auto">Am i doing something wrong or is it a way to use pfSense "DNS Resolver" in a MultiWAN GatewayGroup scenario but only having it send<br />
out any DNS requests to WAN2 <strong>when Tier2 becomes active</strong>.</p>
<p dir="auto">I want to avoid any un-necesary traffic on the WAN2 interface when it is only idling waiting to take over in a failover scenario.<br />
As the subscription has a cap limit / month on the 4G I do not want to waste any traffic.</p>
<p dir="auto">Best regards<br />
Dan Lundqvist<br />
Stockholm, Sweden</p>
<p dir="auto"><strong>UPDATED:</strong><br />
Another strange thing is that If I have Forwarding mode set in DNS Resolver and have 8.8.4.4 IP defined as DNS for WAN2<br />
and 8.8.8.8 for WAN, I see DNS forwarding to both 8.8.8.8 and 8.8.4.4 on the WAN2 interface.</p>
<p dir="auto">23:38:32.516036 IP 192.168.125.2.61987 &gt; 8.8.8.8.53: UDP, length 63<br />
23:38:32.532043 IP 192.168.125.2.51270 &gt; 8.8.4.4.53: UDP, length 53<br />
23:38:32.617246 IP 8.8.8.8.53 &gt; 192.168.125.2.5918: UDP, length 111<br />
23:38:32.679359 IP 192.168.125.2.11608 &gt; 8.8.4.4.53: UDP, length 56<br />
23:38:32.679987 IP 8.8.4.4.53 &gt; 192.168.125.2.27262: UDP, length 149<br />
23:38:32.691486 IP 8.8.4.4.53 &gt; 192.168.125.2.51270: UDP, length 149<br />
23:38:32.691613 IP 8.8.8.8.53 &gt; 192.168.125.2.61987: UDP, length 111<br />
23:38:32.714615 IP 8.8.4.4.53 &gt; 192.168.125.2.11608: UDP, length 220</p>
<p dir="auto">The following is defined in General - DNS Server Settings:<br />
DNS Server 1    8.8.8.8    WANGW              - wan - 87.x.x.1<br />
DNS Server 2    8.8.4.4    WAN2MOBILEGW - opt3 - 192.168.125.1</p>
<p dir="auto">What I could see in the /etc/resolv.conf is:<br />
nameserver 127.0.0.1<br />
search mrzaz.com<br />
nameserver 8.8.8.8<br />
nameserver 8.8.4.4</p>
<p dir="auto">I did a small test where I removed all DNS entries in General and then all DNS lookup stopped working from clients.<br />
$ cat /etc/resolv.conf<br />
nameserver 127.0.0.1<br />
search mrzaz.com</p>
<p dir="auto">Then I added IPs again without selecting any gateways and DNS lookup started working again even without any gateways selected.<br />
$ cat /etc/resolv.conf<br />
nameserver 127.0.0.1<br />
search mrzaz.com<br />
nameserver 8.8.8.8<br />
nameserver 8.8.4.4</p>
<p dir="auto"><strong>- How is the DNS defined in General actually tied to a specific gateway i FreeBSD when defined in pfSense?</strong></p>
<p dir="auto">Seems like even if I define one DNS to only one Gateway, the request is sent to both DNS IPs defined<br />
on all interfaces that has been defined in DNS Resolver as outgoing.</p>
<p dir="auto">eg. 8.8.8.8 and 8.8.4.4 is sent to both WAN and WAN2<br />
instead of<br />
8.8.8.8 -&gt; WAN<br />
8.8.4.4 -&gt; WAN2</p>
<p dir="auto">Also I still do not know how to limit an outgoing request based on the Gateway group Tier1 or 2 selection mode. <br />
(eg. only send DNS on interface that is currently active in the group)</p>
<p dir="auto"><img src="/public/_imported_attachments_/1/General-DNS.jpg" alt="General-DNS.jpg" class=" img-fluid img-markdown" /><br />
<img src="/public/_imported_attachments_/1/General-DNS.jpg_thumb" alt="General-DNS.jpg_thumb" class=" img-fluid img-markdown" /><br />
<img src="/public/_imported_attachments_/1/Routing-GatewayGroup.jpg" alt="Routing-GatewayGroup.jpg" class=" img-fluid img-markdown" /><br />
<img src="/public/_imported_attachments_/1/Routing-GatewayGroup.jpg_thumb" alt="Routing-GatewayGroup.jpg_thumb" class=" img-fluid img-markdown" /><br />
![DNS Resolver.jpg](/public/<em>imported_attachments</em>/1/DNS Resolver.jpg)<br />
![DNS Resolver.jpg_thumb](/public/<em>imported_attachments</em>/1/DNS Resolver.jpg_thumb)<br />
<img src="/public/_imported_attachments_/1/Rules-LAN.jpg" alt="Rules-LAN.jpg" class=" img-fluid img-markdown" /><br />
<img src="/public/_imported_attachments_/1/Rules-LAN.jpg_thumb" alt="Rules-LAN.jpg_thumb" class=" img-fluid img-markdown" /></p>
]]></description><link>https://forum.netgate.com/topic/106238/dual-wan-4g-failover-how-to-block-dns-lookups-out-on-non-active-wan</link><generator>RSS for Node</generator><lastBuildDate>Sat, 18 Jul 2026 21:46:06 GMT</lastBuildDate><atom:link href="https://forum.netgate.com/topic/106238.rss" rel="self" type="application/rss+xml"/><pubDate>Wed, 05 Oct 2016 19:47:23 GMT</pubDate><ttl>60</ttl><item><title><![CDATA[Reply to Dual WAN+4G Failover - how to block DNS lookups out on non active WAN? on Wed, 12 Oct 2016 15:26:39 GMT]]></title><description><![CDATA[<p dir="auto">I found what was needed.</p>
<p dir="auto">I needed a rule on WAN and WAN2 to force 8.8.8.8 tcp/udp port 53 and 8.8.4.4 tcp/udp port 53 to use "default" gateway instead of dualwan group.<br />
Now it looks OK.</p>
]]></description><link>https://forum.netgate.com/post/654710</link><guid isPermaLink="true">https://forum.netgate.com/post/654710</guid><dc:creator><![CDATA[mrzaz]]></dc:creator><pubDate>Wed, 12 Oct 2016 15:26:39 GMT</pubDate></item></channel></rss>