High number of DNS queries

[#1]

Hi tarren,
it may be worthwhile to add a link to this discussion on your ticket (I assume there's a support ticket dealing with this issue):  http://community.plus.net/forum/index.php/topic,137422.0.html

[#2]

Quote from: Marksfish

It seems very strange you are only just getting these messages, the service stopped in Feb 2013. I wonder what has happened recently to cause this?

It's quite possible that nothing has changed at the user end - Plusnet may have changed something with their monitoring that has picked it up. 
I'm actually a little concerned that PN feel the need to send out alerts to individual customers of this nature - If a few queries to a non-existent domain are causing problem I'd suggest that there's something wrong with their DNS server setup!
To the OP - You can easily set the Billion router to use a different DNS provider (Under Configuration|WAN|WAN Profile uncheck 'Obtain DNS Automatic' and then specify different servers for Primary and Secondary).  This only masks the 'problem' but will probably be sufficient.

[#3]

w23 Will pass on your suggestion, thank you.
pwatson I've just connected my plusnet router, so if you can walk me through whatever procediure is necessary I would be very grateful, but please bear in mind I'm no techy, The router is a Technicolor TG582n.

[#4]

it isn't easy http://npr.me.uk/

[#5]

Oldjim Just visited that site, brings tears to my eyes. PerhapsI'd better give it a miss then, and reinstate my Billion router, I hope to be back.

[#6]

Quote from: pwatson

I'm actually a little concerned that PN feel the need to send out alerts to individual customers of this nature - If a few queries to a non-existent domain are causing problem I'd suggest that there's something wrong with their DNS server setup!

Assuming a reasonable timeout in the camera's DNS lookup after a failed DNS lookup (say 3 seconds), it could easily be sending approaching 30,000 DNS requests a day. Of course if it immediately retries after get a failure response (without a timeout) it could be many, many, many more times than that!
It wouldn't surprise me if it were causing performance issues on the line apart from anything else.

[#7]

Well gentlemen, out of interest, if I were to scrap these cams, how would I know the replacement wouldn't cause me identical problems, there must be thousands out there in  use.

[#8]

I'd go for disabling the DNS lookups in the cameras first as per npr's advice.

Quote from: npr

Looking at the instructions for your camera, can be downloaded here: http://www.wanscam.com/xiazai/download/HW_WANSCAM-Quick-Setup-Guide-of-Wanscam-IPCamera.pdf Step 3 shows where you can change the cameras dns settings: If you don't need web access for the camera change the dns setting to 127.0.0.1 Alternatively if you do need web access change the dns setting to 8.8.8.8 (google dns) You may need to specify "Network" as "Fixed IP" before it will allow you to change the dns setting, if so then I suggest the following for use with the plusnet router. Network: Fixed IP IP: 192.168.1.10  ( for the second camera: 192.168.1.11) Sub Mask: 255.255.255.0 Gateway: 192.168.1.254 Primary DNS: 127.0.0.1 Note: To access the camera from a web browser use: 192.168.1.10 for the 1st camera 192.168.1.11 for the second.

First off I'd try changing the primary DNS and leave all the other setting as they are.

[#9]

Hello jelv, the trouble is the interface of the search tool provided does not include the option  to specify "Network" as "Fixed IP" although it is shown in step 3.

[#10]

Is the radio button under the gateway on Auto? If so try changing it to manual.

[#11]

The radio button has only the "update" feature enabled unfortunately, but thanks for your efforts, appreciated.

[#12]

Quote from: Oldjim

it isn't easy http://npr.me.uk/

Yes it is,    if you use the script download, you just need to enter the routers password.
http://npr.me.uk/dns-script.zip
If the "search tool" won't allow you to change the dns your next best option is to block dns from the cameras via the routers firewall.
Which router are you using Technicolor or Billion? The instructions will be different depending on the router.

[#13]

Which router are you using Technicolor or Billion? The instructions will be different depending on the router.
At the moment, the Technicolor,

[#14]

Firewall config for a technicolor router to block dns from a specified LAN IP address to WAN.
Toolbox > Firewall > Configure (over on the top right) > Create a new security level (bottom left)
Enter a name ( I used npr) > Under "Clone from existing security levels" select "Standard" > apply
Click Add

See screen capture above but use the IP address of your 1st camera.
Click Apply
Click configure and repeat for camera 2
This is how the firewall settings should look when you're done:

Good luck, let us know how you get on.
Edit:
In the routers network setting for the cameras, please ensure you have "Always use the same IP address" ticked. We don't want the cameras IP address to change and the firewall rule to stop working.

[#15]

Would that firewall rule actually work if the IP cameras use the router itself as their DNS server?