DNS settings won't stick

[pecocus]

I have an HR22 that is connected to the internet wirelessly using a WGA600N. I'm trying to set the network settings manually and it all works except for DNS. The DNS settings won't stick... in other words, I set it, but when I click on connect, they revert back.

Any ideas?

[TomCat]

Very curious. You actually set DNS in your home network? I figured home networks were configured as workgroups and not domains, so that you would not really need DNS. Go figure.

You can do an ipconfig /flushdns on the domain controller and see if that works (I'm not sure it will--not really a network guru). Also, a /displaydns should tell you what's registered, and a /registerdns could reregister it, which might help. I've only used these tools a couple of times to troubleshoot DNS issues, so I'm not completely sure how helpful they may be, but it's worth a shot. Also, nslookup and reverse lookup can verify DNS or point to DNS issues. Google the terms to see exactly how they are invoked and what they can do for you, as I am working from memory here without a net (pun intended).

[rccoleman]

I have an HR22 that is connected to the internet wirelessly using a WGA600N. I'm trying to set the network settings manually and it all works except for DNS. The DNS settings won't stick... in other words, I set it, but when I click on connect, they revert back.

Any ideas?

That happens when it gets an address and DNS info via DHCP. If you set the DNS info on the device and hit "Connect", it'll try to get an address through DHCP and blow away your custom settings if it finds something.

The only solution that I've found is to unplug the Ethernet cable from the DVR, hit "Connect" and let it fail. Now, plug in the Ethernet cable and let it try again.

Rob

[dpeters11]

Very curious. You actually set DNS in your home network? I figured home networks were configured as workgroups and not domains, so that you would not really need DNS. Go figure.


Of course I don't know if the OP does this, but some use a different DNS provider like OpenDNS to get better features. Oh, and a home network does need to connect to a DNS server, as that is what gives the IP address. You need to know www.dbstalk.com, your computer needs to know 72.9.159.118.

Not sure on the OP, it sticks on mine.

[bobnielsen]

That happens when it gets an address and DNS info via DHCP. If you set the DNS info on the device and hit "Connect", it'll try to get an address through DHCP and blow away your custom settings if it finds something.

The only solution that I've found is to unplug the Ethernet cable from the DVR, hit "Connect" and let it fail. Now, plug in the Ethernet cable and let it try again.

Rob

If you do a manual network configuration DHCP shouldn't come into play. You should assign an IP address which is outside the range of those assigned by the router via DHCP.

[David MacLeod]

if you're plugged into wrong nic port on back it might act this way too.

[pecocus]

Thanks for the responses. Just ran upstairs and checked the port, I'm plugged into the top one. I've also got active connect lights and data lights.

I set manual DNS because (for some reason) if I don't, network services won't start up. Works fine on my wired HR20's, not sticking on my wireless HR22.

I'll try to disconnecting, trying to connect, then reconnecting thing and post results.

[pecocus]

If you do a manual network configuration DHCP shouldn't come into play. You should assign an IP address which is outside the range of those assigned by the router via DHCP.

I agree... and the manual IP address and all setting EXCEPT the DNS setting is sticking. Even though I enter a manual DNS setting, as soon as hit connect, it reverts to the default gateway address.

[Voix des Airs]

Of course I don't know if the OP does this, but some use a different DNS provider like OpenDNS to get better features. Oh, and a home network does need to connect to a DNS server, as that is what gives the IP address. You need to know www.dbstalk.com, your computer needs to know 72.9.159.118.

Not sure on the OP, it sticks on mine.

I run my own caching DNS server locally for performance reasons and so I can assign everything on my network its own name (local only - it's invisible outside my little network). I find it very convenient to do so. I also run a DHCP server that talks to the DNS server (all on the same old PII machine). But... I have also seen significant networking weirdness from my HR-22, to the point of causing problems on the ethernet side of the wireless bridge that my AV stuff is connected to. I've also seen the HR22 seemingly spontaneously revert back to a non-assigned IP address (to fix this when it happens I have to reset the thing. It's very annoying). I think something may be currently wrong with networking on the HR22.

[pecocus]

The only solution that I've found is to unplug the Ethernet cable from the DVR, hit "Connect" and let it fail. Now, plug in the Ethernet cable and let it try again.

Rob

Tried it. Just like before, every custom setting is fine EXCEPT the DNS IP which reverts back to the Gateway IP. Driving me nuts. The weird thing is that it connects to the network and the Internet. But it keeps failing on trying to start Network Services. I've seen that before on my HR20's, and the answer is not to use DHCP. Thus my issue... I can't get the HR22 to keep the DNS IP.

[TomCat]

...Oh, and a home network does need to connect to a DNS server, as that is what gives the IP address. You need to know www.dbstalk.com, your computer needs to know 72.9.159.118.

Not sure on the OP, it sticks on mine.It sounded as if the OP had set his home network up as a domain which requires DNS. Maybe I read too much into that.

I don't think your computer does need to know, but the ISP certainly does. IOW, my computer asks for dbstalk.com, but does not resolve that to 72.9.159.118 on its own; that is a job for the ISP, is it not? I imagine if you connect to the internet, DNS through the ISP resolves site names, certainly, out in the internet itself, but this does not imply that nodes on the home net need to be set as DNS clients to authorize communications between them or between them and the ISP. Or does a home router typically act as a DNS server automatically to nodes on the network? What am I missing here?

[bobnielsen]

It sounded as if the OP had set his home network up as a domain which requires DNS. Maybe I read too much into that.

I don't think your computer does need to know, but the ISP certainly does. IOW, my computer asks for dbstalk.com, but does not resolve that to 72.9.159.118 on its own; that is a job for the ISP, is it not? I imagine if you connect to the internet, DNS through the ISP resolves site names, certainly, out in the internet itself, but this does not imply that nodes on the home net need to be set as DNS clients to authorize communications between them or between them and the ISP. Or does a home router typically act as a DNS server automatically to nodes on the network? What am I missing here?

Normally a home network is all on the same subnet and the subnet mask handles it. This is typically 255.255.255.0, which means that all IP addresses which differ only in the last value will be routed locally. Any other IP address will go to the gateway (normally the router). Many routers act as proxy DNS servers, forwarding the request to whatever DNS it is set to (which is usually the ISP's server). The hosts file can be used to store the name/address mapping (including local hosts) on the computer itself, if desired.

[bakers12]

You can set up your router with DHCP reservations where the router assigns IP addresses based on MAC address and then code static DNS addresses in the router. You don't need any static information in the DVR.

I had trouble getting Network Services to work until I did this. Everything else worked OK before and after.

It doesn't solve your problem but it accomplishes the same thing.

[pecocus]

You can set up your router with DHCP reservations where the router assigns IP addresses based on MAC address and then code static DNS addresses in the router. You don't need any static information in the DVR.

I had trouble getting Network Services to work until I did this. Everything else worked OK before and after.

It doesn't solve your problem but it accomplishes the same thing.

Yep... did that and it worked just great with my HR20's as long as I told them what the DNS IP was. With my HR22, I can't get the manual setting for the DNS IP to stay. I put in what's on my router and as soon as I hit connect, it reverts back to the default gateway address. Once it does that, I can't get Network Services to work.