Editing Openai/695ec913-1960-800f-9931-656c6b18e01b (section)

== gpt-5-2-thinking ==
=== User: how can i log DNS requests on a Netgear Nighthawk RAXE290 router ===
how can i log DNS requests on a Netgear Nighthawk RAXE290 router

=== Assistant: On the NETGEAR Nighthawk RAXE290, there isn’t a “true DNS query log” feature in the stock firmware like “log every A/AA… ===
On the NETGEAR Nighthawk RAXE290, there isn’t a “true DNS query log” feature in the stock firmware (like “log every A/AAAA/TXT lookup per client”). What you can do is one of these:

==== 1) Use the built-in “Activity Log” (limited, not full DNS logging) ====

This is the only native logging that will show target hostnames sometimes, but it’s tied to keyword blocking and is limited in size.

Enable keyword blocking (required for log entries):
* Log into the router UI
* Go to ADVANCED > Security > Block Sites
* Turn keyword blocking Always (or per schedule) and add a keyword/domain as needed Netgear Downloads<ref>{{cite web|title=Netgear Downloads|url=https://www.downloads.netgear.com/files/GDC/RAXE290/RAXE290_UM_EN.pdf|publisher=Netgear Downloads|access-date=2026-01-08}}</ref> Note: Netgear’s manual says keyword blocking only works for <code>http://</code> URLs, not <code>https://</code>. Netgear Downloads<ref>{{cite web|title=Netgear Downloads|url=https://www.downloads.netgear.com/files/GDC/RAXE290/RAXE290_UM_EN.pdf|publisher=Netgear Downloads|access-date=2026-01-08}}</ref>

View the logs:
* ADVANCED > Administration > Logs Netgear Knowledge Base<ref>{{cite web|title=Netgear Knowledge Base|url=https://kb.netgear.com/24224/How-do-I-view-the-activity-logs-of-my-Nighthawk-router|publisher=Netgear Knowledge Base|access-date=2026-01-08}}</ref> The log shows date/time, source IP, target address (name or IP), and action. Netgear Knowledge Base<ref>{{cite web|title=Netgear Knowledge Base|url=https://kb.netgear.com/24224/How-do-I-view-the-activity-logs-of-my-Nighthawk-router|publisher=Netgear Knowledge Base|access-date=2026-01-08}}</ref> Netgear also notes that log entries display only when keyword blocking is enabled, and it stores up to 256 entries. Netgear Knowledge Base<ref>{{cite web|title=Netgear Knowledge Base|url=https://kb.netgear.com/24224/How-do-I-view-the-activity-logs-of-my-Nighthawk-router|publisher=Netgear Knowledge Base|access-date=2026-01-08}}</ref>

✅ Good for: “what sites were attempted/blocked” (sometimes)
❌ Not good for: “log all DNS requests” (record types, every lookup, encrypted DNS, etc.)

==== 2) The practical way: log DNS using a real DNS resolver (Pi-hole / AdGuard Home) ====

If your goal is “log every DNS request, per device”, run a DNS server on your network (Pi-hole is the popular choice) and point clients to it.

Point the router to your DNS server (basic approach):
* In the router UI go to Internet
* Under DNS, select Use these DNS Servers and enter your Pi-hole/AdGuard IP(s). Netgear Knowledge Base<ref>{{cite web|title=Netgear Knowledge Base|url=https://kb.netgear.com/30510/How-do-I-set-static-Domain-Name-System-servers-on-my-NETGEAR-router|publisher=Netgear Knowledge Base|access-date=2026-01-08}}</ref>

Important detail (to get per-device logs):
Many setups end up with Pi-hole showing the router as the client for everything. The usual fix is to make Pi-hole the DHCP server so clients use it directly for DNS.
* Disable DHCP on the router: ADVANCED > Setup > LAN Setup and clear Use Router as DHCP Server. Netgear Downloads<ref>{{cite web|title=Netgear Downloads|url=https://www.downloads.netgear.com/files/GDC/RAXE290/RAXE290_UM_EN.pdf|publisher=Netgear Downloads|access-date=2026-01-08}}</ref>
* Enable DHCP on Pi-hole/AdGuard instead, then renew DHCP leases on clients.

✅ Best option for: accurate, searchable, per-device DNS logs

==== 3) Packet-capture DNS traffic (advanced; still not perfect) ====

If you have a managed switch (or another way to mirror traffic), you can capture UDP/TCP 53 with Wireshark. This logs DNS packets—but…
* It won’t capture DNS over HTTPS (DoH) or other encrypted DNS traffic.
* Even Netgear notes that DoH is handled between the client device and DNS server and can change how DNS behaves on the network. Netgear Knowledge Base<ref>{{cite web|title=Netgear Knowledge Base|url=https://kb.netgear.com/000064567/What-is-DNS-over-HTTPS-DoH-and-how-does-it-affect-my-NETGEAR-router|publisher=Netgear Knowledge Base|access-date=2026-01-08}}</ref>

✅ Useful for: troubleshooting spikes, seeing raw DNS packets
❌ Not complete if devices use DoH/DoT

===== If you tell me what you’re trying to accomplish (kid/smart TV monitoring? troubleshooting a “chatty” device? security?), I’ll recommend the best of the three and the cleanest setup for your network. =====