PowerShell Set-DnsClient

last modified February 15, 2025

This article covers the Set-DnsClient cmdlet in PowerShell. It configures DNS client settings on Windows systems. The cmdlet manages interface-specific DNS configurations.

DNS Client basics

The DNS client service resolves domain names to IP addresses. It caches responses and follows configured DNS server settings. Each network interface can have unique DNS configurations. The Set-DnsClient cmdlet modifies these settings.

Basic Set-DnsClient usage

The simplest use modifies the DNS server for an interface. Specify the interface index with -InterfaceIndex. Provide DNS servers with -ServerAddresses. This changes where DNS queries are sent.

dns1.ps1

Set-DnsClient -InterfaceIndex 12 -ServerAddresses ("8.8.8.8","8.8.4.4")

This configures interface 12 to use Google's public DNS servers. The -ServerAddresses accepts an array of IP strings. Changes take effect immediately.

Disable IPv6 on an interface

You can disable IPv6 DNS resolution for specific interfaces. Use the -ConnectionSpecificSuffix parameter. Combine with -RegisterThisConnectionsAddress for registration control.

dns2.ps1

Set-DnsClient -InterfaceIndex 5 -ConnectionSpecificSuffix "" `
    -RegisterThisConnectionsAddress $false

This disables DNS registration and clears the connection suffix for interface 5. The backtick (`) continues the command on the next line. This prevents IPv6 DNS registration.

Enable DNS suffix search list

The DNS suffix search list appends domains to unqualified names. Use -UseSuffixWhenRegistering to enable this behavior. This helps resolve local network names without full qualification.

dns3.ps1

Set-DnsClient -InterfaceIndex 3 -UseSuffixWhenRegistering $true

This enables DNS suffix search for interface 3. The system will append configured suffixes to resolve names. This simplifies local network name resolution.

Configure multiple DNS settings

Multiple DNS settings can be configured in one command. This example sets servers, enables LLMNR, and configures suffix registration. The -Validate parameter checks settings before applying.

dns4.ps1

Set-DnsClient -InterfaceIndex 7 -ServerAddresses "192.168.1.1" `
    -UseSuffixWhenRegistering $true -ConnectionSpecificSuffix "local.lan" `
    -Validate $true

This configures interface 7 with multiple DNS settings. The local DNS server is set along with suffix options. The -Validate ensures proper configuration.

Disable multicast name resolution

Multicast DNS (mDNS) resolves names without a traditional DNS server. Use -EnableMulticast to control this feature. Disabling can improve security in some environments.

dns5.ps1

Set-DnsClient -InterfaceAlias "Ethernet" -EnableMulticast $false

This disables multicast DNS on the "Ethernet" interface. The -InterfaceAlias identifies the interface by name instead of index. Changes apply to all matching interfaces.

Source

PowerShell documentation

This article covered the Set-DnsClient cmdlet in PowerShell. We explored basic configuration and advanced scenarios.

Author

My name is Jan Bodnar, and I am a passionate programmer with extensive programming experience. I have been writing programming articles since 2007. To date, I have authored over 1,400 articles and 8 e-books. I possess more than ten years of experience in teaching programming.

List all PowerShell tutorials.

Ebooks