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

    Use NextDNS as external DNS server for DHCP clients

    DHCP and DNS
    3
    7
    942
    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.
    • C
      CloudNode
      last edited by

      Hello; I just installed NextDNS on a external device and have pointed my DHCP clients to use that DNS server IP. The upstream requests are working fine however all my DNS Overrides in the DNS resolver section are being ignored now. Does anyone know how my devices can still resolve those?

      GertjanG johnpozJ 2 Replies Last reply Reply Quote 0
      • GertjanG
        Gertjan @CloudNode
        last edited by

        @iptvcld

        If the clients on your LAN receive 1.2.3.4 as a DNS, = an IP 'somewhere on the Internet', then you've completely short circuited your pfSense DNS.

        Solution : Remove the DNS IP "NextDNS" you've setup in your pfSense DHCP. From now on your LAN clients will receive the IP of pfSense again as the DNS.
        Set up the resolver as a forwarder. Don't forget to remove the DNSSEC check box, as DNSSEC is only useful when resolving.,
        Under System > General Setup, add the NextDNS IPs.

        From now on, unbound, the resolver, who isn't behaving as a resolver anymore, will receive the DNS requests from your LAN clients. If a request has an answer already present in the local DNS cache, or matches one of your DNS overrides, then it sends the answer back to the client.
        If not, it will use NextDNS (a resolver) to get an answer for the DNS request.

        No "help me" PM's please. Use the forum, the community will thank you.
        Edit : and where are the logs ??

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

          @iptvcld said in Use NextDNS as external DNS server for DHCP clients:

          all my DNS Overrides in the DNS resolver section are being ignored now

          the other way to skin that cat is to setup conditional forwarder(s) in your nextdns that says hey when someone looking for anything.home.arpa or whatever domain your using in pfsense for you local records go ask 192.168.1.1 or whatever pfsense IP address is.

          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

          C 1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
          • C
            CloudNode @johnpoz
            last edited by

            @johnpoz I think thats it.. I added this line into the NextDNS config
            forwarder mycompany.com=192.168.1.1

            Now my host overrides are responding back with the local IP's.

            Whats odd is that my pfSense DNS Resolver port is set to 5553 and how did the below work if that defaults to port 53?
            forwarder mycompany.com=192.168.1.1

            I tried this forwarder mycompany.com=192.168.1.1:5553 and it does not work

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

              @iptvcld said in Use NextDNS as external DNS server for DHCP clients:

              fSense DNS Resolver port is set to 5553

              Where did you set that exactly? unbound would default to listen on 53..

              port.jpg

              Do you maybe have the forwarder listening on 53.. Clearly something is listening on 53 if you got an answer or your redirecting your dns that comes in on 53 to 5553? where unbound listens?

              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

              C 1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
              • C
                CloudNode @johnpoz
                last edited by CloudNode

                @johnpoz

                this is my DNS Resolver
                a3d345f5-3489-4d63-8eb2-accf991ea1de-image.png

                And forwarder is off
                6e70f7b5-ecd1-4b92-bb53-eb3049ac1576-image.png

                I am also wondering the same on how it responded back to
                forwarder mycompany.com=192.168.1.1

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

                  @iptvcld did you setup dns redirection.. That would explain it.

                  https://docs.netgate.com/pfsense/en/latest/recipes/dns-redirect.html#redirecting-client-dns-requests

                  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
                  • First post
                    Last post
                  Copyright 2025 Rubicon Communications LLC (Netgate). All rights reserved.