Router's DNS overrides my manual settings in Network Prefs

Is the DNS server you're trying to use local on your network? or remote?

If it's remote then any lookup has to go through the router. It's possible (although kind of slimy) that the router is intercepting the DNS lookup and handing it itself rather than honor the original request.

Without knowing the make/model of your router it's impossible to tell if that's the case, but it's about the only thing I can think of that would do this.

Why not change the router's DNS settings to go through the OpenDNS servers. Then you can have all requests handled by them and the filter applied to the specific box.

How are you determining that your routers dns is overiding the manual settings.

On the mac you have configured for opendns when you goto the opendns homepage does it say 'you are using opendns' or not.

There is a way to tell. When I mistype an address, I get the OpenDNS "Did you mean..." page, as I have them set as my DNS. If the OP doesn't get this, then OpenDNS is not fulfilling the request.

I should point out that I changed my router's DNS setting, as I was getting time-outs from the smtp servers for my email service. Since then, all my DNS woes have vanished

That is definitely not how Mac OS X works by default - any local settings override settings received from the router - so something in your router must explicitly be intercepting and processing DNS requests.

I just upgraded to a Netgear WNDR3300 from a WPN824v1 and have spent much time on the Netgear Support area, which is all talk and little help. So in my own trouble shooting to solve the same problem, I have discovered that there are many people that are having this DNS issue with the 3300, 3500 and later 824's. With all the talk one would think that this would have been addressed a long time ago. Netgear is not the most timely FW provider for its gear.

Anyway, there is a DNS issue with Netgear routers. And that is it substitutes the Router/Gateway address instead of the set DSN addresses. Supposedly when you put the addresses into your networked machines that takes presidence. Not so here. So after exhausting everything one can do and talking to many IT pros, who told me this is not a normal nor a desired situation, I have succmubbed to the "new norm". I have notice a drastic difference from my 824v1 and all issues dissappear when I replace the 3300 with it. But if the 3300 didn't increase my VoIP QoS dynamically, I'd go back to the 824. As far as a firmware fix, I seriously doubt that this will happen soon. The last ratified release was Oct 28, 2998 and the next is in Beta which has been in process for close to a year.

So what I have done is to staticallly set my machines to the Gateway IP address or to obtain it automatically and they are not 100% as with the 824, but alot better than with trying to force the DNS that is set in the router, which is now an OpenDNS address also. So it looks like until Netgear steps up, don't hold our breath, this will remain an issue with several of their products. And as big of a problem this is it tells me that they have little care. I was told by NG forum moderators to contact Netgear and file a complaint. They are hoping that with enough complaints tendered, Netgear may hop to. That is MAY. I am getting use to the occasional lags and am awaiting a fix for this along with many many others. So until then at least I am enjoying great VoIP service now.

I hope this helps. Good Luck.

. . . fb