I’m trying to use OpenDNS instead of my ISP’s DNS servers, both because it seems speedier, and because I like their domain blocking feature. I’m having trouble with the domain blocker, though, and I think I’ve traced it down to an issue with the DNS server addresses.
If I go into my router, I have the option of setting up to 3 DNS servers. I have them all set to OpenDNS’s servers.
However, if I do an ipconfig /all, it lists the first two DNS servers as the correct OpenDNS servers, but the third one is my ISP’s DNS servers.
Where does this magic come from? Is it my ISP forcing me to use their DNS, or some problem with my router? I’ve double checked the settings a dozen times, it’s set correctly in the router.
OpenDNS says the reason the domain-block function doesn’t work is because of this third DNS entry.
Router is a Linksys, if that matters.
I’m just trying to figure out who to call and complain to.
I don’t know if this will help, but I used a program called namebench that finds the fastest DNSs for you and I followed the instructions on the link below and it worked fine for me.
Where is your PC getting its IP address from? If it is using your ISP for DHCP then your ISP will fill in the DNS server as part of the IP configuration. Is your router capable of acting as a DHCP server?
The DNS entries are sent from your router directly to your PC via DHCP. If the DNS entries are wrong, then it is likely your router’s fault (although it might have a reason for including your ISP’s DNS).
Another (slight) possibility is your PC. Did you verify your network settings on your PC? Make sure that DNS is set to dynamic and that there aren’t any static entries.
Make sure you check on the network adapter you are using to connect to your router (wired or wireless). In other words, don’t make the mistake of checking the settings on your wireless adapter if you are connected to the router using a wired adapter.
If you really want to track the problem down, you can run wireshark and sniff the DHCP traffic. This will split the problem in half – between router and PC.
Finally, you could configure your PC to use static DNS. Just enter the three OpenDNS entries and ignore what the router is sending. This isn’t ideal obviously, since it would need to be done on each machine connected to your router. But it might be useful if you just want to test the domain blocking feature.
I’m pretty sure it’s not a PC issue; we have multiple PCs/Macs/iPhones/iPads, and last week, they all were blocking the URLs I had on my blocked content list in OpenDNS. This week, all of 'em can get to them. Additionally, when I change the first two DNS entries in the router - like if I change them back to my ISP’s DNS - they all change. So I think the machines/devices are set up correctly.
I was just wondering if there was some way an ISP could override a router’s setting and force it to use their DNS. It certainly seems that regardless of what I put in the third DNS entry on the router, when I look at IPConfig, it’s always my ISP’s DNS.
So it seems like maybe my router is the issue. I’ll give LinkSys a call and see if they can help.
There seem to be a lot of people with this problem (Linksys+OpenDNS). If you want to share your router model, we could probably track down the specific issue.
My thought is that the router detects the repeated address, ignores it, and fills in a third address from the ISP. If that is the case, you’ll need 3 unique addresses in the router config.
The page that I linked to actually has 4 unique addresses – it is a bit confusing to see, but the last two IP addresses are different from the first two – the 220 and 222 are swapped. Try your router config with 3 unique DNS addresses and see if that helps.
You’re right. I not only didn’t catch that the third and fourth DNS are different, but I actually read the line explaining it wrong - I thought it said the IPs were identical, but it says the services are identical. :smack:
So now my IPs show up correctly when I do an ipconfig /all. But alas, the #@#$@# domains still are not blocked.
That’s what I REALLY want. If anyone has any hints, that’d be great. Or competing products - I don’t want something that runs on a browser or PC level, as we have many, many devices. I want something that will run in one place and block certain domains for all devices.
(for the record, this is for Mr. Athena. He’s found he has a horrible case of internet addiction when it comes to Guitar forums, and it’ll be WAY better if he just can’t get to them, whether it’s on his computer or his phone or the iPad.)
Set your DNS servers in your router configuration page to the desired addresses. If there are extra entry fields you’re not using, set them to “0.0.0.0”.
In Windows, go to your network settings, right click on the interface that connects to the internet (usually the Local Area Connection or WiFi device), select Properties, double click on Internet Protocol Version 4 (TCP/IPv4).
Enable the radio check button “Use the following DNS server addresses” and fill in both fields with your router address, i.e. if your router is at 192.168.0.1, use that in both fields. Click Okay on all the dialogs to exit.
If using XP, reboot. Otherwise in Vista or W7, right click on the network device, select disable, then enable.
Windows should now be grabbing the DNS information from your router, which will itself be getting DNS info from the addresses you provided in the DNS fields in the router setup.
It’s working this morning. The only thing I can see that’s different is my IP changed (it’s dynamic) and poof updating it made the blocking work again.
No clue why that did anything. The IP yesterday was correct, I checked it a dozen times.