Avoiding Using BT's Rubbish DNS Servers

Am I correct in thinking that you are prevented from changing the DNS servers on any BT Home Hub routers?

Is there any other way around it (other than buying a new router obviously)? Surely changing the DNS servers on devices network settings will prevent machines talking to each other on my LAN?

Edited by mcompton69 (Thu 10-Jul-14 18:10:30)

Oops, i didnt realise [email protected] was a bad word on here, sorry.

DNS isn't used generally on a LAN, it's just for Internets.

I suspect BT want to restrict you to their broken DNS servers so they can implement their Parental Controls - amongst other things like Phorm.

Best way round it is to get your own router.

You're also not supposed to do things to get around the censor (ie using @ instead of a). It is just as bad a word when you put it that way.

As far as DNS you would have to change it on individual PCs but the PCs will still see each other on a local network.

BT turned off Phorm a long time back (due to backlash). The techniques used to do things like Phorm are also unlikely to use the DNS servers as they will use network interception rather than rely on address lookup. I suspect their parental controls aren't reliant on using their DNS either (DNS servers are usually separate from web filtering servers).

Using specific DNS on a machine will not break LAN stuff, Windows does that all on its own.

Mention DNS to 99.9% of BT customers and you will get a blank look, hence why no real desire to make it changeable.

In essence if you know what DNS is and what pings are then its time to get your own router hardware or change provider.

Using specific DNS on a machine will not break LAN stuff, Windows does that all on its own.

Did you mean that the way I read it? Ie, Windows will break LAN stuff all on its own?

I can't remember but Windows probably still uses the WINS protocol for internal networks and doesn't need DNS for peer to peer networking. Most home networks didn't have any DNS server access before the advent of t'internet.

In reply to a post by MrSaffron:

In essence if you know what DNS is and what pings are then its time to get your own router hardware or change provider.

Replacing my HH5 breaks BT IP TV (BT Vision), but perhaps there is a way to remedy that (i think it is to do with compatibility with a multicast protocol?)...

Was a too subtle moan at the issues people sometimes have with file sharing

In reply to a post by ian72:

I can't remember but Windows probably still uses the WINS protocol for internal networks and doesn't need DNS for peer to peer networking. Most home networks didn't have any DNS server access before the advent of t'internet.

Windows will use broadcasts by default, same on 95 through to Windows 8.1 - this works for home networks as people don't have routers. WINS is not needed as this is for broadcasts over routers. (ie a kludge!).

However once you get into real modern windows networking (e.g. corporate) then Windows DOES use DNS - either its own, or BIND on a *NIX machine - broadcasts can be disabled and WINS is never installed unless you have NT 4 SP2 or earlier still.

Changing to any ISP DNS on a home network works because home networks use short names, such as ping familyroom instead of ping familyroom.myhome.local - and most home users expect to be able to browse or just enter a UNC such as \\familyroom\printer

One way to fix the issue would be to set up your own DNS / DHCP server and then you can turn off DHCP on the HomeHub. However its often easier to buy a decent router and put the HH in a cupboard for when you need to call BT support.