How to Override DNS Settings for OpenVPN Connection on MacOS with Installed .ovpn

Override DNS Settings for OpenVPN Connection on MacOS (Installed .ovpn)

If you're using a MacOS device and have installed an .ovpn file for OpenVPN connection, but want to override the DNS settings, this article will guide you through the process. By default, the DNS settings for OpenVPN connections on MacOS are determined by the VPN provider. However, it's possible to override these settings to use custom DNS servers.

Why Override DNS Settings for OpenVPN Connection?

There are several reasons why you might want to override the DNS settings for your OpenVPN connection:

• Improve security and privacy by using a trusted DNS provider
• Access geo-restricted content by using a DNS server located in a different region
• Resolve domain names more quickly by using a faster DNS provider

Prerequisites

Before you can override the DNS settings for your OpenVPN connection, you need to have the following:

• A MacOS device with OpenVPN client installed
• An .ovpn file for the VPN connection
• The IP addresses or hostnames of the custom DNS servers you want to use

Step 1: Create a New OpenVPN Configuration File

To override the DNS settings for your OpenVPN connection, you need to create a new OpenVPN configuration file. Follow these steps:

1. Find the .ovpn file for your VPN connection and make a backup copy of it.
2. Open a text editor (such as TextEdit or Visual Studio Code) and create a new file.
3. Copy and paste the contents of the original .ovpn file into the new file.
4. Add the following lines to the end of the new file, replacing 1.1.1.1 and 1.0.0.1 with the IP addresses or hostnames of your custom DNS servers:

   dhcp-option DNS 1.1.1.1
   dhcp-option DNS 1.0.0.1

   dhcp-option is used to pass options to the DHCP client that OpenVPN uses to obtain an IP address. In this case, we're passing the DNS option twice, once for each DNS server.

5. Save the new file with a different name (e.g., myvpn.ovpn)

Step 2: Connect to the VPN Using the New Configuration File

To connect to the VPN using the new configuration file, follow these steps:

1. Launch the OpenVPN client on your MacOS device.
2. Click on the Profile or Import button and select the new configuration file.
3. Enter the username and password for your VPN connection when prompted.
4. Click on the Connect button to connect to the VPN.

Once you're connected to the VPN, your MacOS device will use the custom DNS servers you specified in the new configuration file.

In this article, you learned how to override the DNS settings for an OpenVPN connection on MacOS by creating a new OpenVPN configuration file and specifying custom DNS servers. By following these steps, you can improve your security and privacy, access geo-restricted content, or resolve domain names more quickly.

References

• OpenVPN Client for Remote Access Solutions
• PFsense: OpenVPN Client Configuration Files
• Setup CloudNS with OpenVPN