Official firmware and default chinese DNS servers (HiNet, Yandex)

[Hunny Puppy]

I'm using the official 388.x firmware for the RT-AX88U. I exported and opened the saved configuration file using @medo tool: https://www.snbforums.com/threads/wrt-settings.16992/

When going through the settings, I came across this `dns_ping_list` default setting which contains a couple of DNS servers references to HiNet and Yandex which appear to be servers based on china.

I went through all the settings on the GUI pages on the router but cannot find anything referencing these servers. What are these DNS servers and how are they used? Is Asus periodically checking in with these DNS servers? Is there a privacy concern here? It's a little disturbing that I can't find these settings on the GUI pages. I also see reference to these on @RMerlin github source code page. What are these used for?

 

[bbunge]

I'm using the official 388.x firmware for the RT-AX88U. I exported and opened the saved configuration file using @medo tool: https://www.snbforums.com/threads/wrt-settings.16992/

When going through the settings, I came across this `dns_ping_list` default setting which contains a couple of DNS servers references to HiNet and Yandex which appear to be servers based on china.

I went through all the settings on the GUI pages on the router but cannot find anything referencing these servers. What are these DNS servers and how are they used? Is Asus periodically checking in with these DNS servers? Is there a privacy concern here? It's a little disturbing that I can't find these settings on the GUI pages. I also see reference to these on @RMerlin github source code page. What are these used for?

View attachment 47640

Network Tools/Network Analysis Ping (list)

 

[Hunny Puppy]

Thank you!

 

[Ripshod]

Note they're at the end of the list, so the last available. If you don't live behind the great firewall of China then likely they'll never be used, but it gives those behind the firewall servers they can ping etc

 

[Tech9]

I exported and opened the saved configuration file using @medo tool

Don't use any tools. Reset to defaults and configure your router manually. Yandex is Russian, HiNet appears to be Chinese.