TrueNAS Sends Name Server Request Every Second: What's Going On?
TrueNAS, a popular open-source network attached storage (NAS) solution, is reportedly sending name server requests every second. This behavior has caught the attention of Pi-hole users, who use the software for network-wide ad blocking.
Pi-hole and TrueNAS
Pi-hole is a Linux-based network-wide ad blocker that uses DNS to block ads. It has gained popularity among home users due to its effectiveness and ease of use. TrueNAS, on the other hand, is a NAS solution that provides file sharing, data protection, and centralized management.
TrueNAS Behavior
TrueNAS, in certain configurations, sends name server requests every second, even when no queries have been made. This behavior can cause an increase in network traffic and affect the performance of other network devices, such as Pi-hole.
Why is TrueNAS Doing This?
TrueNAS sends name server requests every second as part of its DNS resolver functionality. It is a feature designed to improve DNS performance by reducing the time it takes for DNS queries. However, this behavior can cause issues when multiple devices on a network are using the same DNS resolver.
Impact on Pi-hole
Pi-hole relies on DNS queries to perform its ad-blocking function. When TrueNAS sends name server requests every second, it can cause an increase in DNS queries, which can lead to performance issues on Pi-hole. Additionally, the increased network traffic caused by these requests can cause network congestion and affect other network devices.
Solutions
There are several solutions to this issue:
- Configure TrueNAS to use Pi-hole as its DNS resolver.
- Limit the number of DNS resolver requests made by TrueNAS.
- Use a different NAS solution that does not exhibit this behavior.
Configure TrueNAS to Use Pi-hole as its DNS Resolver
To configure TrueNAS to use Pi-hole as its DNS resolver, follow these steps:
- Open the TrueNAS web interface.
- Go to the Network -> Global Configuration -> DNS Settings.
- Change the DNS Servers setting to the IP address of your Pi-hole device.
- Save the changes.
Limit the Number of DNS Resolver Requests Made by TrueNAS
To limit the number of DNS resolver requests made by TrueNAS, follow these steps:
- Open the TrueNAS web interface.
- Go to the Services -> DNS Forwarder.
- Change the Recursive Timeout setting to a higher value (e.g., 5 seconds).
- Save the changes.
TrueNAS sends name server requests every second, which can cause issues when used with Pi-hole. To resolve these issues, users can configure TrueNAS to use Pi-hole as its DNS resolver or limit the number of DNS resolver requests made by TrueNAS. Alternatively, users can use a different NAS solution that does not exhibit this behavior.
References
- TrueNAS Documentation: https://www.truenas.com/docs/
- Pi-hole Documentation: https://docs.pi-hole.net/