= **Using DNS servers pushed to clients** #pushdns-top

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This page describes how to use pushed DNS servers in the client.

**Contents:**
 1. [#pushdns-nix Using DNS servers pushed to a Linux client] [[br]]
 1. [#pushdns-win Using DNS servers pushed to a Windows client] [[br]]
 1. [#pushdns-add Additional notes] [[br]]

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== Using DNS servers pushed to a Linux client #pushdns-nix

Linux must use an external script to update the DNS servers in `/etc/resolve.conf`

Most Distro OpenVPN packages include `/etc/openvpn/update-resolv-conf.sh` script. [[br]]
Source: https://github.com/alfredopalhares/openvpn-update-resolv-conf

Call the script by adding this to your client config file:

{{{
script-security 2
up /etc/openvpn/update-resolv-conf.sh
down /etc/openvpn/update-resolv-conf.sh
}}}
**Note**: The script may also be called `update-resolv-conf` without a `.sh` suffix.


=== systemd-resolved #systemd 

If you use `systemd-resolved` then use this script:

  https://github.com/jonathanio/update-systemd-resolved


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== Using DNS servers pushed to a Windows client #pushdns-win

 OpenVPN 2.4::

 Windows uses the OpenVPN built-in DHCP server to update the TAP adapter's DNS servers and no additional steps are required.

 This does require that the client is run using the [https://community.openvpn.net/openvpn/wiki/OpenVPN-GUI-New OpenVPN-GUI] and that the OpenVPN `InteractiveService` for Windows is started.

 To prevent DNS leaks at the client use `--block-outside-dns`.


 OpenVPN 2.3::

 Windows uses the OpenVPN built-in DHCP server to update the TAP adapter's DNS servers and no additional steps are required.  

 This **does require** that the client is run as an **administrator** user.

 This version does **not** support `--block-outside-dns`

 **Upgrade Now!**

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== Additional notes #pushdns-add

 Linux notes::

 If the client is run using `--user` and `--group` to drop the process privileges then the `--down` script will fail and leave the client DNS in an undefined state.

 The recommended way to resolve this is to use the [https://github.com/OpenVPN/openvpn/blob/master/src/plugins/down-root/README.down-root openvpn-down-root.so] plugin module.

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[#pushdns-top return to top]

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