Confirmation on DNS and configuration of home network

[metsfan69]

I just started using OpenDNS and have questions about DNS configuration for various devices. Really just looking for confirmation so I feel clear and confident that I understand how DNS is used.

1. Laptop (on wifi) is using Obtain DNS automatically and uses the Linksys Wifi router as the DNS server

2. Linksys Wi-Fi router is set for OpenDNS IPs.

3. Frontier Gateway is set for its own Primary and Secondary DNS

4. If I go to DNSLeakTest.com it tells me that I'm using OpenDNS IPs. 

So, it seems accurate to say that in this configuration, that my laptop is indeed using OpenDNS and that Frontier's DNS settings do not come into play. Correct?

Also accurate to say that each endpoint DNS configuration (my laptop, my iPhone, etc.) is the ultimate decider on DNS service, meaning, if were to change my laptop's wifi adapter's DNS to Google DNS, the laptop would use Google DNS even though the router is set for OpenDNS. Correct?

Thank you in advance for this little training class. :-)

[mattwilson9090]

Those are the general things you'd need to do to configure OpenDNS for your network, yes. To know for sure you'll need to test it. Click on the "test your settings" link at the bottom of this page https://store.opendns.com/setup/#/?new=home-free to do that.

Yes, if someone has administrative access to a device then they can change the DNS servers that device uses. To prevent that you'd need to remove admin access and set users to "standard" permissions. Also, if you have a router that can intercept and redirect port 53 traffic to OpenDNS, or that blocks all port 53 traffic but that going to OpenDNS then you can prevent the use of other DNS services on your network.

[rotblitz]

Another easier to remember test page: http://welcome.opendns.com/

[mattwilson9090]

Aw, thank you, I was rushed and couldn't find the direct link right then.

[metsfan69]

Thank you for the responses. I was really looking the order of operations with regards to DNS priority. Meaning, which DNS settings have priority.

[mattwilson9090]

"Priority" in this case all depends on the hardware, software, and configurations in your network. A device will use whatever DNS settings it has, whether they are manually set, or configured by DHCP. If those settings point to your router then the router will attempt the DNS lookup for you. If it's pointed somewhere else, wherever that may be, that device will handle the request in some manner. The same holds true for the router. If it has DNS settings manually configured it will use those. If the router gets it's DNS settings via DHCP then it will use whatever it receives.

In this case with the devices on your network configured by DHCP to use the router for DNS, and the router itself pointed to OpenDNS, however the router you got from your ISP is configured is irrelevant as far as DNS is concerned UNLESS that router or the ISP itself are intercepting and redirecting DNS traffic, or blocking any DNS traffic that goes anywhere but their designated servers.

[metsfan69]

Perfect. Thank you!