Dumb wifi router + DNS

Hello,
I am running 2 devices as dumb wifi router, I was wondering if i have to set a DNS
server on these devices via Use custom DNS servers to the IP address of my main router or do I have to leave it empty?

at the moment i am not able to ping /resolv any ulr from a terminal on these 2 devices. Use custom DNS servers is empty.

thanks

that was partially discussed here Issue with DNS & /etc/dnsmasq.conf - #18 by lenovomi
but without solution... thanks

Technically a "dumb" AP is only there to provide wifi for devices. It should be using the DNS and DHCP of the main server.

Just set a DHCP reservation on your main router for this AP's and it should work fine. Then just setup the SSID/Login. Or use the wiki to do a static IP setup.

2 Likes

@mercygroundabyss hello, thanks. Do you mean to set a DHCP reservation on APs (dumb APs) with the IP of my main router?

I am just wondering if there is a point to have DHCP working on these APs directly.

thanks

No. Either set them up per the wiki with static ips. Or on the main router setup DHCP reservations for those mac addresses and then leave the AP's as DHCP on their "WAN" side. You will still need to configure the APs for wifi and remove firewall etc as per the wiki.

I tend to prefer my AP's be DHCP reserved so i can move them around networks if required. That way i only need to configure the AP once. Otherwise with a static you would have to take it down to reconfigure its static ip if you change your networks etc. (eg segmenting guest networks etc.)

APs dont require DHCP servers. Only if you running big networks etc. What you want them to do is provide effectively a WIFI area but your router manages DHCP and networks.

Feels like you've already answered your own question...

The DNS setting on a dumb AP only affects the OpenWrt OS itself. And it has to be set for OpenWrt to access the Internet for NTP or to fetch packages or updates. But the internal DNS setting has no effect on how wifi clients will get their DNS. That will always be bridged through to the main network.

1 Like

there is some weird issue / bug,

on main router (10.0.1.1) where i run DNS, i have following settings
cat /etc/dnsmasq.conf

address=/abcd1.duckdns.org/10.0.1.104

When I set DNS on dumb routers to 10.0.1.1, the clients connected to dumb routers cant access
abcd1.duckdns.org anymore.

any idea why?

thanks!

No, not without additional info.

@frollic
its strange, i just figured out all my ios devices works fine, but the android is an issue.
I cant even ping that domain name; ping app crashed, and homeasssistant cant reach that url at all :frowning: so no idea.

Start by disabling DoH in browser(s), if you need browser access, and DoT on OS level.

@frollic why? or hows it connected with that? need to find out how to do this... no idea now.

Both DoH and DoT makes the devices bypass your local DNS.

dont get it at all.
why it should help? local dns is apparently ok as Iphone devices works fine.

No one said there was anything wrong with your DNS....

@frollic i dont get the reasoning.
at the moment android is using (by default) i assume local DNS - which should be correct as ios devices works correctly, correct?

hwats the point to disable DoH / DoT - ie to disable DoH DoT - means it will bypass local DNS or use local DNS.... confused.
thanks

Reread Dumb wifi router + DNS - #14 by frollic

hm
i have
android
ios

It works on ios and doesn't on android. Right now nooone knows what DNS is used by android and which by ios devices.

There is no way to find that out on app level?

At the moment as we don't know which devices bypass ie android or ios. its not possible to say if my configuration is OK or wrong ... i need the go via elimination ...

looking into the configuration main router 10.0.1.1 has on wan following settings

and on LAN - the DNS addresses are no specified.

Dumb routers - are connected to main router via LAN ports.

It's easy to figure out who is using your DNS, by looking at the queries.

Those are irrelevant, since the DHCP DNSes can be something completely different, and DoH/DoT devices won't use them anyway.

looking at the queries where? these are mobile devices android/ios... i don't think there is DNSlookup or dig etc...

this one i don't get it, then whats the point to set DNS on endpoint client?