DNS requests from Android v5 (and newer) fail for internal sites only
We've been experiencing a very specific issue for almost a year, and it's finally becoming problematic for us. All Android devices running v5 (Lollipop) and newer are unable to view internal web sites. Browsing the public internet has no issue.
Digging further, we determined that the Androids are not able to resolve internal names. Further, a sniffer shows that the Android phones are ignoring the DNS server entries in the DHCP settings, and instead use Google's public DNS (8.8.8.8) for all name resolution--hence, no ability to resolve internal names.
We've confirmed that the devices are receiving the correct DHCP entries for DNS, the phones just aren't using it.
We have a Windows Server 2012 network, single-domain, with three sites (subnets) and four DC's, all of which are our DNS hosts. Our wireless access points are Dell PowerConnect-W model AP-105 (by Aruba Networks).
I've found internet information that seems to indicate that this might be related to IPv6 issues between Android v5(+) and IPv4 DNS:
https://code.google.com/p/android/issues/detail?id=79504
I've focused on this because our network has had IPv6 entirely disabled (against Microsoft Best Practices recommendations) via Group Policy. If we need to re-enable/implement IPv6, that will be a challenge in the existing environment.
Can anyone provide insight on what may be the underlying issue(s) here, and how we might address it?
Please let me know if there's any further information I can provide.
Thank you.
Dimarc67
Frederick, MD
Digging further, we determined that the Androids are not able to resolve internal names. Further, a sniffer shows that the Android phones are ignoring the DNS server entries in the DHCP settings, and instead use Google's public DNS (8.8.8.8) for all name resolution--hence, no ability to resolve internal names.
We've confirmed that the devices are receiving the correct DHCP entries for DNS, the phones just aren't using it.
We have a Windows Server 2012 network, single-domain, with three sites (subnets) and four DC's, all of which are our DNS hosts. Our wireless access points are Dell PowerConnect-W model AP-105 (by Aruba Networks).
I've found internet information that seems to indicate that this might be related to IPv6 issues between Android v5(+) and IPv4 DNS:
https://code.google.com/p/android/issues/detail?id=79504
I've focused on this because our network has had IPv6 entirely disabled (against Microsoft Best Practices recommendations) via Group Policy. If we need to re-enable/implement IPv6, that will be a challenge in the existing environment.
Can anyone provide insight on what may be the underlying issue(s) here, and how we might address it?
Please let me know if there's any further information I can provide.
Thank you.
Dimarc67
Frederick, MD
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How is the setup of your DNS server?
My finding for an workaround is as follows:-
"The workaround is to set a gateway in the DHCP. This way android sends both AAAA and A queries for an android device."
Source: https://www.centos.org/forums/viewtopic.php?t=8269
My finding for an workaround is as follows:-
"The workaround is to set a gateway in the DHCP. This way android sends both AAAA and A queries for an android device."
Source: https://www.centos.org/forums/viewtopic.php?t=8269
The other workaround is to use Firefox app in Android to access your local site instead of Chrome.
http://stackoverflow.com/questions/8651043/android-browser-hostnames-does-not-get-resolved-if-domain-name-is-not-appended
http://stackoverflow.com/questions/8651043/android-browser-hostnames-does-not-get-resolved-if-domain-name-is-not-appended
ASKER
Thanks. Confirmed the IPv6 behavior for DNS in Android v5 and newer. (Also could not confirm that Firefox on Android got around the issue. That didn't work for us.)
Enabling IPv6 on our DNS servers (our DCs) appears to be the best solution.
Enabling IPv6 on our DNS servers (our DCs) appears to be the best solution.
ASKER
Further testing may eliminate the IPv6 hypothesis.
Tested the same Android v5 device that was experiencing the issue at a different site, and issue did NOT recur. No huge differences between the two sites except Win2012 vs. 2008R2, Cisco vs. Linksys router, and Aruba vs. Linksys WAP.
Enabled IPv6 on office Windows DNS server, successfully resolved DNS host names via IPv6 through Android app "DIG" on test device. Still unable to reach internal site names through browser.
Windows DNS debug logging too sporadic to make immediate go/nogo determinations.
Will need to setup a sniffer to see the traffic in real-time. Will post findings when I get there.
Tested the same Android v5 device that was experiencing the issue at a different site, and issue did NOT recur. No huge differences between the two sites except Win2012 vs. 2008R2, Cisco vs. Linksys router, and Aruba vs. Linksys WAP.
Enabled IPv6 on office Windows DNS server, successfully resolved DNS host names via IPv6 through Android app "DIG" on test device. Still unable to reach internal site names through browser.
Windows DNS debug logging too sporadic to make immediate go/nogo determinations.
Will need to setup a sniffer to see the traffic in real-time. Will post findings when I get there.
https://code.google.com/p/android/issues/detail?id=8030