Netgate Discussion Forum
    • Categories
    • Recent
    • Tags
    • Popular
    • Users
    • Search
    • Register
    • Login

    Can someone please check my VPN DNS setup

    Scheduled Pinned Locked Moved
    OpenVPN
    4
    8
    835
    Loading More Posts
    • Oldest to Newest
    • Newest to Oldest
    • Most Votes
    Reply
    • Reply as topic
    Log in to reply
    This topic has been deleted. Only users with topic management privileges can see it.
    • gregeehG
      gregeeh
      last edited by

      Hi all,

      I'm new to pfSense and have setup a VPN Client to connect with my VPN Provider.  All LAN traffic is going via the VPN.  It is all working but I'm concerned about if I have setup the DNS correctly.  Below are the settings.

      The DNS Leak Test looks fine to me, however I have entries like below in Syslog which seems to suggest the OpenDNS Servers are being used and not those from my VPN Provider as shown in the DNS Leak Test Results.

      <30>1 2018-04-29T16:34:02+10:00 pfsense.localdomain dnsmasq 17991 - - dnsmasq[17991]: query[PTR] 1.10.168.192.in-addr.arpa from 192.168.10.2
<30>1 2018-04-29T16:34:02+10:00 pfsense.localdomain dnsmasq 17991 - - dnsmasq[17991]: /etc/hosts 192.168.10.1 is pfsense.localdomain
<30>1 2018-04-29T16:34:02+10:00 pfsense.localdomain dnsmasq 17991 - - dnsmasq[17991]: query[A] app.bitly.com from 192.168.10.13
<30>1 2018-04-29T16:34:02+10:00 pfsense.localdomain dnsmasq 17991 - - dnsmasq[17991]: forwarded app.bitly.com to 208.67.222.222
<30>1 2018-04-29T16:34:02+10:00 pfsense.localdomain dnsmasq 17991 - - dnsmasq[17991]: forwarded app.bitly.com to 208.67.222.220
<30>1 2018-04-29T16:34:02+10:00 pfsense.localdomain dnsmasq 17991 - - dnsmasq[17991]: reply app.bitly.com is <cname>
<30>1 2018-04-29T16:34:02+10:00 pfsense.localdomain dnsmasq 17991 - - dnsmasq[17991]: reply bitly.com is 67.199.248.14
<30>1 2018-04-29T16:34:02+10:00 pfsense.localdomain dnsmasq 17991 - - dnsmasq[17991]: reply bitly.com is 67.199.248.15
<30>1 2018-04-29T16:34:02+10:00 pfsense.localdomain dnsmasq 17991 - - dnsmasq[17991]: query[AAAA] bitly.com from 192.168.10.13
<30>1 2018-04-29T16:34:02+10:00 pfsense.localdomain dnsmasq 17991 - - dnsmasq[17991]: forwarded bitly.com to 208.67.222.222
<30>1 2018-04-29T16:34:02+10:00 pfsense.localdomain dnsmasq 17991 - - dnsmasq[17991]: forwarded bitly.com to 208.67.222.220</cname>

      Comments greatly appreciated.

      TIA

      Greg

      PfSense running on Qotom mini PC
      CPU N3150, 2 GB memory, 32 GB SSD & 2 Realtek Gb Ethernet ports.
      UniFi AC-Lite access point

      1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
      • DerelictD
        Derelict LAYER 8 Netgate
        last edited by

        When you query the local DNS server and it has to go out to the internet to get an answer that query is NOT policy routed because it does NOT arrive into the LAN interface. It originates on the firewall itself.

        You only gave about half the information needed. You left out what DNS servers the clients are actually told to use.

        If quelling "DNS leaks" is your goal, the best thing to do is to have the clients being routed out the VPN use DNS servers out on the internet and not anything on pfSense itself. This would be set statically on each client, in the DHCP server they use, or in a DHCP static mapping for certain hosts.

        Chattanooga, Tennessee, USA
        A comprehensive network diagram is worth 10,000 words and 15 conference calls.
        DO NOT set a source address/port in a port forward or firewall rule unless you KNOW you need it!
        Do Not Chat For Help! NO_WAN_EGRESS(TM)

        1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
        • gregeehG
          gregeeh
          last edited by

          @Derelict:

          You only gave about half the information needed. You left out what DNS servers the clients are actually told to use.

          The clients are using the IP of pfSense as their DNS Servers.  Sorry about not stating this.

          PfSense running on Qotom mini PC
          CPU N3150, 2 GB memory, 32 GB SSD & 2 Realtek Gb Ethernet ports.
          UniFi AC-Lite access point

          1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
          • DerelictD
            Derelict LAYER 8 Netgate
            last edited by

            Then that's your problem. Set them to use external DNS servers or tell them to use an inside DNS server (as in not on the firewall itself) and policy route the queries from that server out the VPN.

            Chattanooga, Tennessee, USA
            A comprehensive network diagram is worth 10,000 words and 15 conference calls.
            DO NOT set a source address/port in a port forward or firewall rule unless you KNOW you need it!
            Do Not Chat For Help! NO_WAN_EGRESS(TM)

            1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
            • gregeehG
              gregeeh
              last edited by

              @Derelict:

              Then that's your problem. Set them to use external DNS servers or tell them to use an inside DNS server (as in not on the firewall itself) and policy route the queries from that server out the VPN.

              Thank you for your time and your explaination it is greatly appreciated.  As my VPN is with VPN.AC I followed their instructions :
              https://vpn.ac/knowledgebase/63/OpenVPN-on-pfSense.html

              Sorry for the noob question but I still do not understand why the DNS Leak Test websites pass if I have set this up incorrectly.  :-[

              PfSense running on Qotom mini PC
              CPU N3150, 2 GB memory, 32 GB SSD & 2 Realtek Gb Ethernet ports.
              UniFi AC-Lite access point

              1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
              • DerelictD
                Derelict LAYER 8 Netgate
                last edited by

                That DNS test you posted was NOT passing correctly so what are you talking about?

                Man, am I tired of these DNS leak threads.

                Chattanooga, Tennessee, USA
                A comprehensive network diagram is worth 10,000 words and 15 conference calls.
                DO NOT set a source address/port in a port forward or firewall rule unless you KNOW you need it!
                Do Not Chat For Help! NO_WAN_EGRESS(TM)

                1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
                • johnpozJ
                  johnpoz LAYER 8 Global Moderator
                  last edited by

                  "Man, am I tired of these DNS leak threads."

                  You can say that again ;)

                  An intelligent man is sometimes forced to be drunk to spend time with his fools
                  If you get confused: Listen to the Music Play
                  Please don't Chat/PM me for help, unless mod related
                  SG-4860 24.11 | Lab VMs 2.7.2, 24.11

                  1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
                  • B
                    bcruze
                    last edited by

                    try viewing this website for the PIA DNS servers: https://helpdesk.privateinternetaccess.com/hc/en-us/articles/219460397-How-to-change-DNS-settings-in-Windows

                    then go to system > general.  and add them there

                    THEN go to services > dhcp server > servers / DNS.  add them there

                    post again after you have rebooted the pfsense router

                    i have found adding DNS to the general tab is what causes the leaks.. when i use the PIA DNS servers on the actual SERVER DNS it fixes leaks for me.

                    this is for PIA and AIRVPN… i also do not use the DNS forwarding tab. its disabled,  i use the DNS resolver tab

                    not a pro, just sharing my experience with my setup

                    1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
                    • First post
                      Last post
                    Copyright 2025 Rubicon Communications LLC (Netgate). All rights reserved.