TIPS – How to Set default DNS for all users, ethernet & WiFi connections

[Member Craig]

Firstly, new user & first time poster to give thanks for AntiX. Cheers!

AntiX 19.2 runs on on an old broken HP 625 64 bit laptop.

Via ConnMan, I’ve been attempting to set default domain name servers;- for all users, for all connections, on this laptop.

(This is to use CleanBrowsing_Org’s DNS filtering as per their filters page.)

1) In /etc/connman/main.conf, add
Nameservers=185.228.169.168,185.228.168.168
From connman.conf(5), Nameservers is not listed as valid & doesn’t work.

2) Edit /var/lib/connman/settings to be:-

[global]
OfflineMode=false

[WiFi]
Enable=true
Tethering=false
Nameservers=185.228.169.168,185.228.168.168

[Bluetooth]
Enable=false
Tethering=false

[Wired]
Enable=true
Tethering=false
Nameservers=185.228.169.168,185.228.168.168

This idea does not work either.

For Linux, Clean Browsing recommends creating an immutable /etc/resolv.conf file on their Linux guide page.

What is the AntiX method of setting default DNS entries, for all user accounts, for all connections?

Thanks,
Craig.

• This topic was modified 2 years, 9 months ago by Craig. Reason: Formatting
• This topic was modified 2 years, 9 months ago by Craig. Reason: Argh! Formatting
• This topic was modified 2 years, 9 months ago by anticapitalista. Reason: changed title since there are some excellent tips in the thread

[Forum Admin anticapitalista]

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Don’t know if it is the best way or not, but I used to do in it /etc/dhcp/dhclient.conf

https://raamdev.com/2009/configuring-static-dns-with-dhcp-on-debianubuntu/

Philosophers have interpreted the world in many ways; the point is to change it.

antiX with runit - leaner and meaner.

[Member Craig]

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Thanks a lot for the link! Which I implemented.

Unfortunately,… edits to /etc/dhcp/dhclient.conf are ignored by ConnMan.

To have the machine read /etc/resolv.conf with ConnMan managing WiFi authentication, I done this:-

$ cat /etc/default/connman
# For static DNS. (See --nodnsproxy in connman(8)).
DAEMON_OPTS='--nodnsproxy'

Modified buggy /etc/init.d/connman

--- /etc/init.d/connman~1	2020-03-27 14:19:11.000000000 +0000
+++ /etc/init.d/connman	2020-04-24 22:27:20.707538355 +0100
@@ -19,13 +19,16 @@
 	. /etc/default/connman
 fi
 
-if [ "CONNMAN_RUNSTATEDIR_RESOLVCONF" != "no" ] ; then
-    mkdir -p /run/connman
-    ln -sf /run/connman/resolv.conf /etc/
+if [ -n $DAEMON_OPTS ]; then
+	echo $DAEMON_OPTS | grep -F -q 'nodnsproxy' ||
+	{
+		mkdir -p /run/connman/
+		ln -sf /run/connman/resolv.conf /etc/
+	}
 fi
 
 do_start() {
-	start-stop-daemon --start --oknodo --exec $DAEMON --$DAEMON_OPTS
+	start-stop-daemon --start --oknodo --exec $DAEMON -- $DAEMON_OPTS
 }
 
 do_stop() {

Even with ConnMan not running as a DNS proxy, it still overwrites /etc/resolv.conf with DHCP entries it finds (dhclient is ignored by ConnMan)

Therefore,…. these steps are needed too:

$ sudo /etc/init.d/connman stop
$ sudo rm /etc/resolv.conf
$ sudo echo 'nameserver 185.228.169.168' > /etc/resolv.conf
$ sudo echo 'nameserver 185.228.168.168' >> /etc/resolv.conf
$ sudo chattr +i /etc/resolv.conf
$ sudo /etc/init.d/networking restart
$ sudo /etc/init.d/connman start

These hacks work, but the ConnMan System Tray shows wrong domain name servers (maybe it still uses an internal DHCP client?).

Cheers,
Craig.

[Member Craig]

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By the way, to test the effectiveness of alterations, I’ve been surfing to DNSLeakTest_Com (JavaScript needed) with a Firefox restart after each change.

This site shows CleanBrowsing’s domain name servers, while ConnMan shows the ISP’s DNS – but they’re not being used.

[Member Craig]

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Here’s a better patch to fix bugs in /etc/init.d/connman

This diff backs up an existing /etc/resolv.conf file before starting ConnMan & restores it after daemon stop:

--- connman~1	2020-03-27 14:19:11.000000000 +0000
+++ connman	2020-04-27 15:32:40.585655166 +0100
@@ -19,17 +19,29 @@
 	. /etc/default/connman
 fi
 
-if [ "CONNMAN_RUNSTATEDIR_RESOLVCONF" != "no" ] ; then
-    mkdir -p /run/connman
-    ln -sf /run/connman/resolv.conf /etc/
+DNS_PROXY='yes'
+if [ -n $DAEMON_OPTS ]; then
+	echo $DAEMON_OPTS | grep -F -q 'nodnsproxy' && DNS_PROXY='no'
 fi
 
 do_start() {
-	start-stop-daemon --start --oknodo --exec $DAEMON --$DAEMON_OPTS
+	if [ $DNS_PROXY = 'yes' ]; then
+		mkdir -p /run/connman/ || return
+		if [ -f /etc/resolv.conf ]; then
+			ln /etc/resolv.conf /etc/connman/
+		fi
+		ln -sf /run/connman/resolv.conf /etc/ || return
+	fi
+	start-stop-daemon --start --oknodo --exec $DAEMON -- $DAEMON_OPTS
 }
 
 do_stop() {
-	start-stop-daemon --stop --oknodo --quiet --exec $DAEMON
+	start-stop-daemon --stop --oknodo --quiet --exec $DAEMON || return
+	local _rc=$?
+	if [ $DNS_PROXY = 'yes' ]; then
+		mv /etc/connman/resolv.conf /etc/
+	fi
+	return $_rc
 }
 
 get_pid() {

Cheers,
Craig.

[Member ModdIt]

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Hello Craig, thanks for your work, this subject drives me nuts, seems we are having to reinvent the wheel at times.

would be really nice to have an easy way to set DNS default for all users in AntiX underlining simplicity, freedom of choice in the best distro used to date.

I do appreciate that some providers block or repair our dns changes in forced supply routers. Shitty vodafone certainly does. But that is another story.
Vodafone is Tier 1 provider for UK spy agency GHCQ so not surprised.

[Member Craig]

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This is how I got it to work with WPA instead of ConnMan:

In AntiX’s Control Centre start up service selector:-
1) Remove connman from levels 2,3,4,5
2) Add resolvconf to run levels 2,3,4,5

Supersede dhcp client’s DNS:

 $ diff -u /etc/dhcp/dhclient.conf~ /etc/dhcp/dhclient.conf
--- /etc/dhcp/dhclient.conf~	2020-04-20 17:15:38.081969606 +0100
+++ /etc/dhcp/dhclient.conf	2020-04-24 17:51:20.113870509 +0100
@@ -22,6 +22,7 @@
 #send dhcp-client-identifier 1:0:a0:24:ab:fb:9c;
 #send dhcp-lease-time 3600;
 #supersede domain-name "fugue.com home.vix.com";
+supersede domain-name-servers 185.228.169.168,185.228.168.168;
 #prepend domain-name-servers 127.0.0.1;
 #require subnet-mask, domain-name-servers;
 #timeout 60;

$ sudo service connman stop
$ sudo chattr -i /etc/resolv.conf
$ sudo ln -sf /run/resolvconf/resolv.conf /etc/
$ sudo service resolvconf start

Add some lines to the end of the network interfaces file:-

See: https://www.AntixForum.Com/forums/topic/wpa_gui-and-wpa_supplicant-how-to/#post-4144

#------------------------------------------------------------------------------
# /etc/network/interfaces
#
# interfaces(5) file used by ifup(8) and ifdown(8)
# Used by ceni but not by connman
#------------------------------------------------------------------------------

auto lo
iface lo inet loopback

allow-hotplug eth0
iface eth0 inet dhcp

# Code added for roaming wpa_supplicant & wpa_gui
auto wlan0
iface wlan0 inet manual
        wpa-roam /etc/wpa_supplicant/wpa_supplicant.conf
iface default inet dhcp

Created a configuration for for WPA supplicant:-

$ head -n 3 /etc/wpa_supplicant/wpa_supplicant.conf
ctrl_interface=DIR=/run/wpa_supplicant GROUP=netdev
update_config=1

Created a WPA GUI start up call:

$ cat ~/.icewm/startup 
#!/bin/bash

# nice cmst &
nice wpa_gui -t &

Rebooted & it all works. Simply add roaming WiFi networks with WPA’s GUI & easily switch between them.

Cheers,
Craig.

[Member AR]

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The simplest DNS setting way in Connman is:
1. Open Connman UI Setup.
2. Choose second tab from the left (on my computer it’s in my language, so I do not know how it will be in English). It will show your connection parameters.
3. Press the button in the lower right corner (“Preferences” or “Setup”, or somewhat similar).
4. Choose there tab “Name servers”. Type there your nameservers (divided by space), then press OK.

These nameservers will work even after reboot. I checked this on the DNS leak test site.

This way is for one user and for one connection, but it’s very simple, so every user can do it on any connection with such simple howto.

• This reply was modified 2 years, 9 months ago by AR.
• This reply was modified 2 years, 9 months ago by AR.
• This reply was modified 2 years, 9 months ago by AR.

[Member ModdIt]

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Hi AR, your suggestion works for single user or can be setup for each user separately.

The question was to set systemwide default DNS for all users on all connections which is more challenging.

[Member AR]

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Hi Moddit, as for me, I simply set up my home router to my favorite DNS servers. And all my devices receive DNS from this router. I know that my previous reply was not the resolve for the Craig’s problem, but I think it would be helpful for someone.

• This reply was modified 2 years, 9 months ago by AR.
• This reply was modified 2 years, 9 months ago by AR.

[Member Craig]

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Yes, I can use ConnMan to manually set DNS, for every connection (which is annoying).

But those settings can be deleted by other (immature) people with their own account on the laptop.

Setting domain name servers in your LAN’s router is great – if your antiX laptop never leaves home.

I need to set the DNS on this antiX laptop, which roams away from home, for all users, for all connections.

Point 1 of the 1st post stated that setting default domain name servers in /etc/connman/main.conf doesn’t work, because it is not a configurable option.

Cheers,
Craig.

[Member Craig]

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By the way, I’ve deleted ~/.icewm/startup and put the WPA GUI start up call in ~/.desktop-session/startup

# Puts WPA's GUI in the system tray:
nice wpa_gui -t &

[Forum Admin anticapitalista]

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I’m going to edit the title so people can see that the thread includes some really excellent tips and is not just a request

Philosophers have interpreted the world in many ways; the point is to change it.

antiX with runit - leaner and meaner.

[Author]

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