WiFi Static IP Address Requires DNS Server

Hi,

I have found the same issue as you and I totally agree with you that it should work without a DNS.

As a network administrator, there are many scenarios in which this is useful.

I found that in the scenario where you don't have a DNS configured and no routing is working but that "netstat -nr" does show a default gateway, if you 're-add' the default gateway (sudo route add default ROUTER_IP), then it starts working. However, there is still no DNS and the routes are still the same!

I totally consider this as an issue! However, I do not know if it's on Apple's side or if it is the same behaviour on BSD.

Thanks for reporting that "Question", it really helped me find that I wasn't the only one and that I don't have an issue with my system...

Regards,

Maxime

I do understand what you have written. But I don't run without DNS configured and wouldn't suggest it, and I don't know your network configuration.

IP routing can sometimes have results other than those intended, particularly when there are multiple NICs present and active.

But in any case, please report this to Apple formally.

FWIW, DNS is no longer optional, it's part of the foundation of modern IP networks.

What exactly are you trying to do?

Are you trying to assign a Mac with a LAN static IP address? If so, do it within the router by selecting an IP Address on the LAN to use with the Machine Address (MAC Address) of the Mac. This assumes your router is your DHCP server. Otherwise, you need an DNS server that has DHCP running on your LAN to be able to hand out IP addresses.

You got me!

I have only assigned static IP addresses on my LAN via my router for a wired server and my WiFi printer. I don't have the same need as you to be able to change them to different addresses from time to time. I only have basic knowledge as far as networking goes, sorry.

I guess I don't understand why you want to be able to use ANY IP address instead of the IP addresses assigned on the network you're connecting to.

I don't know how much you know about IP and routing, so the following might be a review, or it might be new. I also don't know if the AirPort or Time Capsule is the sole NAT device here, or if there might be a second device running NAT. Apologies here, but I just can't see your config.

Depending on how your network is wired, are your wired connections and your Wi-Fi connections in different subnets or your Wi-Fi configured as an access point? Because if not separate subnets, there can be routing problems. This particularly when there are multiple links active. To avoid routing problems, you'll want separate subnets for wired and wireless with the Wi-Fi operating as a router, or your Wi-Fi configured as an access point and the same subnet across both wired and wireless; what Apple refers to as bridging.

Where are you performing the packet capture here? With Wi-Fi, that only works "upstream" of the Wi-Fi (access point or router) device, as other devices on the Wi-Fi won't pick up the traffic.

And while I understand what you've asked for here, OS X and most systems want and beed DNS for (among other reasons) network security — it's very unusual to try to run without DNS servers involved somewhere. It'd be helpful to understand a little more about why you're trying to run without a DNS server, and how your network is set up.