Have pfsense as DNS server does not work

costasppc

hello,

I am still on 2.1.5. Today I tried to use it as DHCP and DNS server. I am giving the pfsense ip address as gateway and DNS server, and does not work properly and sometimes at all (no sites). When I use 8.8.8.8 as DNS to the clients all are working as expected.

I have set some ISP DNS in General setup, but did not assign them to any gateway. Is this the issue? Do the clients query using those DNS?

Check my attached screenshot please.

Best regards

kostas

![Screen Shot 2015-09-24 at 17.43.49 ?.?..png](/public/imported_attachments/1/Screen Shot 2015-09-24 at 17.43.49 ?.?..png)
![Screen Shot 2015-09-24 at 17.43.49 ?.?..png_thumb](/public/imported_attachments/1/Screen Shot 2015-09-24 at 17.43.49 ?.?..png_thumb)

chris4916

Could you please show what you have configured at either DNS forwarder or Resolver depending on the one you choose?

costasppc

I have DNS forwarder for on internal domain, an internal server to be asked.

![Screen Shot 2015-09-24 at 18.13.17 ?.?..png](/public/imported_attachments/1/Screen Shot 2015-09-24 at 18.13.17 ?.?..png)
![Screen Shot 2015-09-24 at 18.13.17 ?.?..png_thumb](/public/imported_attachments/1/Screen Shot 2015-09-24 at 18.13.17 ?.?..png_thumb)

chris4916

@costasppc:

I have DNS forwarder for on internal domain, an internal server to be asked.

Sure but what is missing is the general section above this one on the same page ;)

costasppc

Thanks!

Here it is. I had all the interfaces, then tried with only the LAN one.

Best

Kostas

![Screen Shot 2015-09-24 at 18.36.44 ?.?..png](/public/imported_attachments/1/Screen Shot 2015-09-24 at 18.36.44 ?.?..png)
![Screen Shot 2015-09-24 at 18.36.44 ?.?..png_thumb](/public/imported_attachments/1/Screen Shot 2015-09-24 at 18.36.44 ?.?..png_thumb)

chris4916

@costasppc:

I have set some ISP DNS in General setup, but did not assign them to any gateway. Is this the issue? Do the clients query using those DNS?

DNS forwarder will forward client DNS request to DNS defined in general setup.
Assigning gateway is only useful if you have multiple WAN (or multiple gateways in case you have network that is a bit more complex than LAN-FW-WAN ;))

Looking at the last picture you posted, it looks like you have quite a lot of interfaces but I assumes only one gateway pointing to internet.
Is that correct?

With (DHCP enabled) client, did you check using nslookup which DNS is used when you try to resolve names?

costasppc

@chris4916:

DNS forwarder will forward client DNS request to DNS defined in general setup.

So, that is the issue… I thought those DNS servers were not using if they weren't assigned to any WAN, since I have enabled the: Allow DNS server list to be overridden by DHCP/PPP on WAN (If this option is set, pfSense will use DNS servers assigned by a DHCP/PPP server on WAN for its own purposes (including the DNS forwarder).

I have 3 WANs, 1 physical and 2 over VLAN, the others are VIPs.

So, shall I remove those DNS servers from general setup?

Best regards

Kostas

chris4916

If you enable the option allowing DHCP to overwrite DNS setting in general set-up, then DNS forwarder will use the ones from DHCP. I don't think this causes any error…. unless DNS provided by your ISP thought DHCP doesn't work properly ;D

but testing this is very easy and simple isn't it?