eddiem555's profile

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6 Messages

Monday, October 14th, 2013 3:09 AM

How to change the DNS server on the Motorola NVG589 router?

Hello, I recently switch from DSL to U-verse and I was using OpenDNS for web content filtering.  With OpenDNS you just change your router to use the OpenDNS DNS servers, then any device connecting to your network gets filtered.  Now that we switched to Uverse the Uverse router is our main router.  I cannot find any way to override the DNS server served up with DHCP to be OpenDNS servers.   So does anyone know how to change the DNS server given in DHCP requests of the Motorola NVG589 router? I'm running software version 9.1.0h4d38

 


If changing DNS server address in DHCP response is not an option, I guess the other option would be to turn off the DHCP server on the Uverse modem, and bring up another DHCP server on the network where DNS would be configureable.   So if someone could reply on how to disable the DHCP server on the Motorola NVG589 that would help as well.

 

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Community Support

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1.7K Messages

10 years ago

Hi eddiem555,

 

There is no place in the NVG589 to set a DNS address, but you can definitely do what you suggested in attaching a DHCP server to it and configuring it through that device. You are not able to disable the DHCP server in the NVG589, but you can set it up in passthrough mode, and it will pass the public IP to your server, where it will be able to handle all the routing from there.

 

-David T

Tutor

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4 Messages

10 years ago

Quick answer - you can't change the DNS server on the nvg589. A plausible explanation for why AT&T locked down this device, is because their native devices that connect to their router (like the DVR and VOIP adaptor) need the AT&T DNS servers to function properly.: 

 

If you have another router where OpenDNS was configured, then I would just wire that to the NVG589. I did that with my old dlink router and I'm cruising!

 

Steps:

1. Plus your old router into an available ethernet port on the nvg589.

2. Enable IP Passthrough  (read this, optional, link if you need get in the weeds on how IP passthrough works: http://www.dslreports.com/forum/r28642159-NVG589-Netgear-Router-for-DLNA

3. Ensure that the DHCP subnets on the nvg589 don't conflict with your old router's subnets.I changed my DHCP subnets to use a different range

 

That's about it. 

Tutor

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6 Messages

10 years ago

Thank you for the reply.  The U-verse technican plugged in a wireless receiver for the cable boxes into one of the switched ports of the router. My main DVR is also plugged in (CAT5) into one of the 4 switch ports.  If I go the 'IP passthrough' route, do I need to move those two devices off the Uverse router onto my own router?  Ideally I'd like all the Uverse equipment connected directly to the Uverse modem as it is now.

 

Tutor

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4 Messages

10 years ago

Anything that is already plugged into your nvg589 stays the way it is. All you're doing, by using IP passthrough, is passing the public IP directly onto your old router.

 

Ah, I forgot to add two more things. You need to pick DHCP Fixed for enabling the pass through to your old router's MAC address (just pick your old router in the drop list  field - you don't need to memorize it).

 

Finally, once you're done with all these steps, your last step should be to turn off the wi-fi on the nvg589! Technically, you can have two wi-fi routers broadcast simultaneously, but you run the risk of signal interference because of their proximity to each other :).

 

So, there you have it. IP Pass through to your old router via Ethernet, change DHCP addresses on your nvg589, add DHCP fixed and then turn off your wi-fi on the nvg 589. You shouldn't have to mess with any of the devices that come connected to the nvg589 and only configuration you're changing is on this box.

 

Tutor

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4 Messages

10 years ago

Sorry, I forgot to mention - the net result after these configuration changes, is that you have two DHCP servers on your network, operating on two different subnets. The uverse NVG589 takes care of its own devices and your old routers takes care of all wi-fi access points.

If this helps, I alsonmoved my old VOIP Sipura adaptor from the old router to the uverse NVG589. Previously, when I had a Motorola Surfboard modem, I was forced to connect the adaptor to my old router and configure it within a DMZ. By switching it to the Uver589, I'm by-passing my old router completely.

Community Support

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1.7K Messages

10 years ago

Scottiedawg's configuration is definitely the best way to go in my opinion. You will end up with 2 DHCP pools, and you just want to keep any U-verse device directly connected to the NVG589 in that DHCP pool, so the NVG589 can handle the multicasting traffic to the receivers.

 

-David T

Tutor

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6 Messages

10 years ago

Thank you both (Scottiedawy and DavidCS) for the detailed response.  This is the detail I needed.  I do have one more question.   If I'm going to need my own router with DHCP server that I can configure DNS on, why even go through the hassle to change the NVG589 to bridge mode?  Why not just plug my private router into one of the ports of the NVG589 and just have my home network of my private router?  In that case I would have a separate NAT on my router from the NVG589, resulting in double NAT for my in home devices, but is there any problem with that?

Tutor

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4 Messages

10 years ago

I am not sure I follow that thought completely. If all you need is to serve up Internet addresses using OpenDNS, and you have just a couple of client devices connected to the NVG589, then you can force the individual devices to lookup OpenDNS (no need of a private router or messing with NVG589 configuration). If, however, if you need a lot more flexibility in configuring your routing, lookup and firewall capabilities, then a private router comes in very handy.

 

So, if you don't do the IP Pass through, then your private router becomes just another Ethernet node on the NV589, but aren't you then still reliant on on configuring NVG589 for DNS Serving (which we know can't be done)?

Tutor

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6 Messages

10 years ago

I was thinging I could leave NVG589 with existing settings, but still have my private router (with DHCP and OpenDNS configured) plugged into that.  I learned since I posted that, that would result in double NAT, and double NAT has it's own set of issues.   So I think I will stick with your first suggestion to set NVG589 in bridge mode have my private router and NVG589 on the same subnet.  I will make sure to different DHCP pools and turn off the wifi on the NVG589. Thanks again.

 

Mentor

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26 Messages

10 years ago

Even though you can't change the DNS server on the NVG589 or turn off DHCP server I was able to accomplish having my own DHCP and DNS working without having to do bridge mode or double NAT.  This solution requires that you configure the DHCP server to serve only the number of addresses to your U-verse receivers. Here is how I configured.

 

1st I needed to find out what the DNS servers the NVG589 was delivering so I plugged in a computer and allowed it to get a IP address from the NVG589.  Then I unplugged the computer.  I went into the NVG589 and set the DHCP server to only serve up 192.168.1.10-192.168.1.12.  This allowed 3 devices to receive their IP address which is equivalent to the number of receivers.  The setting for this is on the Home Network/Subnets & DHCP page.

 

Next you need to assign these addresses as a static address to each receiver.  If you go to Home Network/IP Application you should see your receivers mac addresses listed with a dynamic address assigned.  Clip on the "Allocate" button and choose on of the addresses you constrained the DHCP server to.  Do this for all the receivers on your network.  This will prevent any of your personal devices from receiving an IP address from the NVG589 DHCP server.  You will need to reboot all your receivers and verify they have allocated their addresses either by the menu on the receiver or going to Device/Device List on the NVG589.  You may need to clear the list and then wait about 5 minutes and then scan for devices again.

 

Now the fun.  Using your own router make sure you set up the DHCP server allocates addresses outside of the range the NVG589 does but it must be on the same subnet as the NVG589.  Also as a safety net you need to assign the same IP address in your routers DHCP server to the MAC addresses of your receivers.  Because you will have two DHCP servers the first to respond wins and we always want to make sure the receivers have their correct IP addresses.  Also you do not want to use the WAN port of your router from this point on.  Only the LAN ports should be used with one of them going directly to the NVG589.  Some routers allow you to turn the WAN port into a LAN port.  This turns off the routing function allows the router to just act as a switch with a DHCP server and a wireless access point.

 

I was able to accomplish this with a Asus RT-N66U router running Tomato firmware.  Do this configuration at your own risk since consumer routers may or may not support the configurations mentioned here.  With Tomato you are granted deep access to how the DHCP server can be configured along with really flexible MAC to IP address assignments.

 

 

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