[Dnsmasq-discuss] kubuntu 16.04 - dnsmasq+VPN split DNS server, no fallback to normal DNS if VPN is offline

[Gert Brinkmann]

Hello,

since upgrading from kubuntu 15.10 to 16.04 I have the problem that the
VPN connection to my company's internal network (I call it myco.example
here) did not work anymore. The reason is that the name of an (e.g.)
internal.myco.example host could not be resolved anymore that is
required for the VPN connection. Also normal public addresses of my
company like www.myco.example did not work anymore, while foreign
domains are resolved fine.

So dnsmasq did use my "server" configuration

server=/myco.example/<ip-address>

but <ip-address> was not accessable because the VPN did not run. In
former versions dnsmasq did a fallback to the normal ISP's DNS so that
everything did work.

Is this a regression in the dnsmasq behaviour? Or do I have to add some
more configuration parameters to make it work as before?

The /etc/resolv.conf has the entry

nameserver 127.0.0.1
search fritz.box myco.example

(where fritz.box is the name of my network)

As a workaround I currently have added the required
internal.myco.example host to /etc/hosts to make VPN work again. (I am
starting VPN only if I need it, not automatically on every system start.
Also I am starting it manually via "/etc/init.d/openvpn start", because
the network-manager way had the problem that it stops the VPN if my ISP
is doing the every 12h disconnect. If manually started, openvpn recovers
the connections automatically instead of completely stopping its service!?)

Greetings
Gert