Nameserver NOT auto updated in /etc/resolv.conf

Elive System Installed
1

On moving my laptop to a new wifi network I notice that the nameserver address, which has to be set to the gateway address does not update.

Can anybody with access to different wifi networks check if this is a bug or just my machine?

Symptoms:
It connects to the network and pings 8.8.8.8 fine but does nor resolve the names.
So "ping -c 5 www.google.com" does not give a response. :frowning_face:

2

I moved several Laptops with ELive 32, 64 etc to several WiFi and the DNS resolutions always worked fine...

1 Like
3

Sounds a bit like a driver issue, no?

4

No, it has to do with when connecting to a gateway the client should use that gateway as the DNS server through a search string.
For instance when I connect to my mifi (mobile wifi router) it sets a string in "/etc/resolv.conf" like this:

search www.huaweimobilewifi.com
nameserver 192.168.0.11
And in the router I've set where my queries should go.

But at home the router is at 192.168.0.1 and not that mifi router.
It should've been auto-magically altered on connection AFAIK.

It's not a big deal for me, I've added nameservers to resolv.conf countless of times in the past with:
"echo "nameserver blabla.bla.org" >> /etc/resolv.conf" also because I don't want my DNS queries to pass through Google owned ones.

But it could be an issue for others if this was a system bug. Looks like it isn't so that's good. :+1:

Read this if you're interested why I'm leary of certain DNS servers:

If you want to use one of their servers just use my string above (with sudo) and reblace blabla.bla.org with the given IP adresses.

1 Like
5

In the past I noticed that some ISP required strictly to use their nameservers in order to resolve domains (if i recall correctly)

So basically, try with a different ISP (internet coffe shop?) just to see if this is the cause

What do you mean is that network-manager doesn't set the nameservers that you are saying to set? or that they don't works?

6

I haven't checked yet as I've only just noticed.

The thing is that /etc/resolv.conf doesn't change i.e keeps the search string the same...which IMO it shouldn't.

Setting to a fixed DNS external [free]server solves that ... so no hurry. It's actually a better idea when not using a VPN. :thinking:

7

@triantares,
:eyepopping:
A bit hard to simulate the situation...
But we should not let it go :hooray:

8

It comes down to the network scripts when initializing a new connection or device.

Thinking about it:

  • Taking the offered gateway as nameserver is not a good idea (safety wise) when on unknown networks if one doesn't have a VPN or ssh proxy or at least a firewall running.
    I am not even fully in the clear [yet] if, when running over VPN and using i.e DNS through Google, the whole idea of privacy through VPN gets defeated.
    I suspect it does! :-1:
  • /etc/resolv.conf is fairly immutable so a fixed setting to an external [i.e FreeDNS] server by default is a better/safer option IMO... Even when using other precautions like VPN and/or firewall. :idea:
1 Like
9

I don't remember, when using VPN, how to validate / check wich DNS I am using.... Suppose it is the normal, default one ? YEs traffic goes trough VPN, but the DNS used is the one we got when we got our IP ( DHCP) ?

10

Yes but you can circumvent that by setting your own in /etc/resolv.conf

1 Like
11

:eyepopping: :disbelief:
.
never read/heard before.... (ya, ya my English is kinda poor, bla, bla :stuck_out_tongue: )
But why not
bypass
avoid
evade

Methinks, this is alas kinda overdubbed, no ?
:madness: :nod: :nanana:

2 Likes
12

"work around" would be a good synonym ...... but then again:
Nice to have been able to add a tad to your knowledge. :smiley14:

1 Like