Changing DNS in router settings

[kurtdh]

I went into the router settings and selected "Use these DNS SERVERS"

I entered 1.1.1.1 as the primary and 1.0.0.1 as the secondary. This is a new DNS server provided by Cloudflare. After saving my settings and rebooting my router, I checked my iPhone, iPad, and Windows 10 PC to see what DNS servers they were using.

All of them are still using the DNS server provided by my ISP, and none of them are using 1.1.1.1 as their DNS server.  For my Windows machine, I checked it by doing an ipconfig /all, and for my Apple devices, I checked it using the Network Analyzer app.  None of them are using the DNS I entered into the router- they are all using my ISP's DNS: 192.168.1.1.  

My Apple devices are using wifi and my Windows PC is using a tp-link powerline adapter.  How come none of my devices are using the DNS I put into the router? Looking at ipconfig /all, it does say I have DHCP enabled.  Any help would be appreciated.  Thanks!

[microchip8 · Accepted solution]

I think you're a bit confused. 192.168.1.1 is the router's address and also serves as a nameserver (DNS) for your locally connected devices. It's not your ISPs DNS server. When devices connected to your router query the local nameserver DNS (192.168.1.1), the router then passes on these queries to the nameserver you specified in the router's firmware (in your case the CloudFlare ones)

Trust me, all is fine.

why is this done this way? Because when using a home router, you're behind a so-called NAT (network address translation) and you are using private addresses which cannot connect directly to the Internet and must be translated first by the router. It is the router's job to map these private addresses to your public address on the WAN

[microchip8 · Accepted solution]

I think you're a bit confused. 192.168.1.1 is the router's address and also serves as a nameserver (DNS) for your locally connected devices. It's not your ISPs DNS server. When devices connected to your router query the local nameserver DNS (192.168.1.1), the router then passes on these queries to the nameserver you specified in the router's firmware (in your case the CloudFlare ones)

Trust me, all is fine.

why is this done this way? Because when using a home router, you're behind a so-called NAT (network address translation) and you are using private addresses which cannot connect directly to the Internet and must be translated first by the router. It is the router's job to map these private addresses to your public address on the WAN

[kurtdh]

Thanks for the help!  Is there any way to confirm that my devices are using the DNS servers I specified in the router settings, by checking on the device itself? Such as using ipconfig, or an app?

[IrvSp]

On the router's STATUS page... Probably on the ADVANCED TAB,  it will be listed on the Internet Port box.

[microchip8]

you can also enable Telnet by going to http://routerlogin.net/debug.htm 

then in a console (command prompt) type telnet 192.168.1.1 and give your password. When inside, do

cat /tmp/resolv.conf

and you'll see all nameservers the router is using