Comcast Router blocks DNS settings

Question

I recently started using Comcast broadband after Cable was installed into my neighborhood. Before that I was relegated to Wireless Broadband services similar to Clear.

Previous, I had my network set up to point to a static IP that from service called OpenDNS. If you're not familiar, it's a terrific low cost filter service that lets you set up filtering on the network at the router rather than by using client side software on each device. This allows me to filter anything wired or wireless simultaneously, phone, tablets, latops, equally.

What I learned after getting set up on Comcast is that the Comcast supplied SMC router has firmware that disables DNS Settings, therefore I cannot assign the OpenDNS static IP without doing it on every device. Thus phones and tablets were left wide open. Not good with smart & curious teens in the house. Adding to my complications, I have some HP Touchpads and they run both WebOS and Android but when I set static IP addresses on both platforms of those devices, they quickly reset to the Comcast IP address which is open.

I understand that I can add a second router to my network, but I am wondering that if I go that route, can I bypass or disable the SMC router settings? Basically I just want to know if I plugged my Belkin Router into the SMC Modem/Router, will the Belkin static IP pointed to OpenDNS still protect my network or will the SMC router farther up in the chain override it? It would be nice to get my network protected again without getting new equipment.

Thanks

Solution

The settings you are having trouble with are DHCP settings for configuring clients, and yes, by placing a router inside the modem/router, you can take over DHCP assignments so that they come from your new router rather than the ISP provided one. I don't know about Belkin specifically (I'll never buy anything from Belkin), but I would expect any router worth its salt to let you specify the DNS server addresses passed on to clients.

Some Routers proxy DNS requests, to address issues with UDP NAT, so you may have the option to configure the DNS server for the router itself (pointing it to OpenDNS). in that case, the DHCP setting passed to clients would be the address of the router, and the router would perform the lookup on OpenDNS itself and return the lookup info to the client.

Comments

[Mark G]

First, thanks for the time to answer. You guys are awesome!! I probably should've mentioned I'm a bit of network novice. I know just enough to be dangerous to any Network Admin. :) The Belkin has been a good router. It does give me full access to DHCP settings. I'm not familiar with what UDP NAT is. I think I follow what you're saying here but how would one go about doing what you described? And how does one find the address to the router?