<![CDATA[Purpose of multiple DNS per gateway]]>Hello,

What is the purpose of multiple DNS per gateway in General section? im using the DNS resolver in forwarding mode. I observed requests are sent to every configured item, regardless if a previous one already resolved the query. This is also true for sequential option. I just dont understand

]]>https://forum.netgate.com/topic/171537/purpose-of-multiple-dns-per-gatewayRSS for NodeFri, 17 Apr 2026 09:28:10 GMTWed, 13 Apr 2022 20:36:09 GMT60<![CDATA[Reply to Purpose of multiple DNS per gateway on Wed, 13 Apr 2022 22:52:11 GMT]]>The way MS describes it: Windows will ask the primary DNS, if a response is not seen in a short time it asks the 2nd and so on. The DNS that responds first becomes the primary.

If you are looking a packet capture you should see some amount of time, my guess is 10's of ms, between the queries. MS never defined a "short time" when I asked about it.

However it is said to work, it seems most OSs do what you describe, hit several before the first DNS responds. The packets are small enough I don't think the developers care and are more worried about response time.

]]>https://forum.netgate.com/post/1037722https://forum.netgate.com/post/1037722Wed, 13 Apr 2022 22:52:11 GMT<![CDATA[Reply to Purpose of multiple DNS per gateway on Wed, 13 Apr 2022 22:45:07 GMT]]>Thats what is expected yes but I see different behavior like described

]]>https://forum.netgate.com/post/1037721https://forum.netgate.com/post/1037721Wed, 13 Apr 2022 22:45:07 GMT<![CDATA[Reply to Purpose of multiple DNS per gateway on Wed, 13 Apr 2022 20:56:25 GMT]]>In case one DNS server fails there is a 2nd to try. If you are using 8.8.8.8, 1.1.1.1 or your FW there is no real point.

]]>https://forum.netgate.com/post/1037711https://forum.netgate.com/post/1037711Wed, 13 Apr 2022 20:56:25 GMT