DNS issues when using DHCP over WIFI on RBR50 with latest firmware as of 8/15/2020

[ajblack817]

So I have a workaround, but really surprised that the latest firmware release as of 8/15/2020 still doesn't address this issue or Feature Request... of basic DNS cfg via DHCP for LAN side clients

RBR50... in router mode doing DHCP over WIFI...  LAN side issue

>WAN DNS pointing to 8.8.8.8 & for the RBR50 itself no DNS issues

>BASIC DHCP functions appear to work, & it assigns or reserves IP addresses as normal WIFI routers do.

However, t if you let it control your DNS, it doesn't seem that the RBR50 forwards DNS requests to the Internet... therefore very poor web surfing performance.

Now this is a pretty basic function as previous cable modems this is a default feature that either the cable modem just forwards DNS requests or takes the WAN sides DNS config and passes that on to the inside clients over DHCP.

MY WORKAROUND:  If I manual cfg all clients on home network to use 8.8.8.8 & using DHCP... then everything works, but this is kind of a pain to have to do that to all laptops, phones, etc... it is kinda nice when some devices just hard code 8.8.8.8 so the google home device doesn't have a problem and I don't have to config it special.

Seems a shame to turn off DHCP & use a different product for proper DHCP functions.  Anyone else notice this or have other ideas?

@FURRYe38 

@plemans 

@StephenB 

[ajblack817]

Router Firmware Version
V2.5.1.16

[ajblack817]

In the past I opened 2 tickets with support when the purchase came with support... was told that the would put in a feature request form something that works everywhere else.

A year latest & the latest release still doesn't address it.

Makes it hard to recommend and makes me think I will need to look at other options now that I have upgraded to 1GB at home.

[CrimpOn]

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@ajblack817 wrote:

However, t if you let it control your DNS, it doesn't seem that the RBR50 forwards DNS requests to the Internet... therefore very poor web surfing performance. 

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Can you please provide some more explanation?  My experience is that the Orbi acts just like every other router.  It uses DHCP to point every LAN device to the router itself for DNS.  The router caches DNS responses using the "time to live" setting.  Any request that is not in the cache is forwarded to the DNS server identified in the Orbi configuration and the response added to the cache.

If the Orbi did not "forward DNS requests to the internet", then no device would ever connect to anything.  Web browsing would not be slow.  It would be non-existant.

Most computers do the same thing: cache DNS lookups and only do a DNS request if the subject is not found in the local cache.  So there are two caches: device, then Orbi.

[FURRYe38]

What is the Mfr and model# of the Internet Service Providers modem/ONT the NG router is connected too?

Has a factory reset and setup from scratch been performed since last FW update? 

I have not see any thing of the kind with my RBK50 system behind a stand alone modem. v16 still loaded. Use auto DNS settings and let the RBR handle DNS for all my devices. 

[Mstrbig]

Your work arounds make no sense. Unless your ISP's DNS server is slow, you don't get much benefit changing to Google or Level3 or the many other public DNS servers. The Orbi uses the ISP DNS server and when set as a router performs DHCP services to the clients, whether wireless or wired. Changing the DNS server may, at times help. But most of the time they are handling way more traffic than your ISP and bog at peak times. 

I've tried changing DNS to 8.8.8.8 and 8.8.4.4 or Level 3 servers, but experienced more slowdowns at peak times. So I stick with my ISP assigned DNS servers. Also, my Orbi RBR50 and 2 RBS50 satellites give me great wired and wireless speeds. I could not be happier. On a 500Mbps/50Mbps plan, I get full speed wired and wireless get 325+ for download and 50+ for uploads, running 5 constant cameras and 20 other devices.