Allow using local DNS resolvers on the Windows Service

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Overnox
OpenVpn Newbie
Posts: 2
Joined: Mon Nov 14, 2022 5:02 am

Allow using local DNS resolvers on the Windows Service

Post by Overnox » Mon Nov 14, 2022 5:06 am

Hello friends,

i have a quick question.

The point is that I want to enable an employee to work from home.

I followed the installation instructions below.

https://youtu.be/dUowBMY53Zs

Everything works so far.

This means that the employee can work from home via VPN or remote desktop.

I set up the OpenVPN software as a Windows service on the company PC (server).

Now my question.

There is a point all the way down in the advanced settings in the software.

Allow using local DNS resolvers
Enable this setting if you need to allow DNS requests to 127.0.0.1 and ::1

How do I get these settings on the service from the server?

Since without this function, the network will only work with IP addresses.

Thank you for the answers.

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openvpn_inc
OpenVPN Inc.
Posts: 1333
Joined: Tue Feb 16, 2021 10:41 am

Re: Allow using local DNS resolvers on the Windows Service

Post by openvpn_inc » Mon Nov 14, 2022 10:49 am

Hello Overnox,

The setting to allow using local DNS resolvers does not do what you apparently seem to think it does. If you want DNS names to be transformed to IP addresses, you can configure on the OpenVPN server side to push a DNS server to the OpenVPN clients. They will then use that DNS server to resolve names to IP addresses. In this case you would be pushing a DNS server on the Windows Server or a DNS server in that network. The OpenVPN clients will then use that remote DNS server.

The setting to allow using local DNS resolvers allows to have the OpenVPN clients to use a DNS server that is installed on the OpenVPN client itself. This is a simple on/off setting. This option is needed for people that use for example Umbrella DNS or some other DNS filtering solution that installs on the local system itself.

Kind regards,
Johan
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Answers provided by OpenVPN Inc. staff members here are provided on a voluntary best-effort basis, and no rights can be claimed on the basis of answers posted in this public forum. If you wish to get official support from OpenVPN Inc. please use the official support ticket system: https://openvpn.net/support

Overnox
OpenVpn Newbie
Posts: 2
Joined: Mon Nov 14, 2022 5:02 am

Re: Allow using local DNS resolvers on the Windows Service

Post by Overnox » Mon Nov 14, 2022 11:02 am

Hi Johhan,

Thank you for your helpful answer,

I tried to set that, the DNS server would be then yes the 192.168.2.1 but there tells me the following.

Private IPs cannot be used as DNS Server, if they are not defined under Network.

https://prnt.sc/s6WfJpBsvtkU

Is there perhaps a tutorial on how to set this correctly?

Thanks for the quick help.

Kind regards

Marcel

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openvpn_inc
OpenVPN Inc.
Posts: 1333
Joined: Tue Feb 16, 2021 10:41 am

Re: Allow using local DNS resolvers on the Windows Service

Post by openvpn_inc » Mon Nov 14, 2022 11:05 am

Hello Overnox,

I see, you're using OpenVPN Cloud. Moved the topic there for you.

This requires adding your network that provides the DNS server so that it can then be assigned to your VPN clients. To be honest I have personally never configured such a thing, but we do have some documentation here;
https://openvpn.net/cloud-docs/changing-dns-servers/
https://openvpn.net/cloud-docs/adding-a-network/

If you need further assistance it is best to contact https://openvpn.net/support and mention there that you need to use a private DNS server.

Kind regards,
Johan
Image OpenVPN Inc.
Answers provided by OpenVPN Inc. staff members here are provided on a voluntary best-effort basis, and no rights can be claimed on the basis of answers posted in this public forum. If you wish to get official support from OpenVPN Inc. please use the official support ticket system: https://openvpn.net/support

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