feat(dns): add custom DNS server support by awlx · Pull Request #196 · CachyOS/CachyOS-Welcome

awlx · 2026-03-23T07:35:37Z

Adds a "Custom" option to the DNS server selection, allowing users to enter their own DNS server addresses and DoT hostname. This addresses use cases like NextDNS, Pi-hole, or any other custom resolver that isn't in the preset list.

What changed

Custom DNS server entry

Added a "Custom" option at the bottom of the DNS server dropdown
When selected, shows input fields for IPv4 addresses, IPv6 addresses, and DoT hostname
Input validation ensures at least one address is provided and the DoT hostname is RFC-compliant
Custom entries are fully persisted by NetworkManager using the native address#hostname notation (e.g. 45.90.28.220#xxxx.dns.nextdns.io)
On restart, custom DNS settings are read back and all fields are correctly pre-filled

CLI support

Added dns set-custom subcommand: cachyos-hello dns set-custom -c "Starlink" --ipv4 "45.90.28.220" --dot --dot-hostname "xxxx.dns.nextdns.io"
Existing dns set also passes DoT hostname for preset servers now

i18n

Added custom DNS strings to all 31 locales

Testing

Tested on CachyOS with NetworkManager 1.52 and systemd-resolved:

cachyos-hello dns set -c "Starlink" -s cloudflare --dot — verified resolvectl shows 1.1.1.1#cloudflare-dns.com
cachyos-hello dns set-custom -c "Starlink" --ipv4 "45.90.28.220" --dot --dot-hostname "xxxx.dns.nextdns.io" — custom DNS works from CLI
GUI: select Custom, enter NextDNS addresses + hostname, apply — persists across restart
Invalid DoT hostname shows error dialog
Reset clears everything back to DHCP

Closes #144

Add a 'Custom' option to the DNS server dropdown allowing users to specify their own DNS server addresses and DoT hostname, addressing use cases like NextDNS or other custom resolvers. Changes: - Add 'Custom' entry to DNS server combo box with IPv4, IPv6, and DoT hostname input fields - Use NetworkManager's native 'address#hostname' notation to persist DoT hostnames across restarts - Read back DoT state and hostname from NM on startup - Add SNI hostname validation (RFC-compliant DNS labels) - Add 'set-custom' CLI subcommand for custom DNS from command line - Fix preset servers to include DoT hostname in addr#hostname format - Add i18n strings for custom DNS to all 31 locales Closes: CachyOS#144

Add DoH support to the DNS settings page using blocky as a local DNS proxy. When DoH is enabled, blocky is installed (blocky-bin from AUR), configured with the selected server's DoH URL, and started as a systemd service. NetworkManager is pointed to 127.0.0.1 for resolution. Changes: - Add DoH URL map for 14 DNS servers that support DNS over HTTPS - Add blocky config generation with DoT-encrypted bootstrap DNS when the server supports it, falling back to plaintext IPs otherwise - Add DoH checkbox to DNS settings GUI (mutually exclusive with DoT) - Add --doh flag to 'dns set' CLI subcommand (conflicts_with dot) - Add --doh and --doh-url flags to 'dns set-custom' for custom DoH servers, using the custom IPv4/IPv6 addresses and DoT hostname for bootstrap resolution - Add DoH URL input field to the custom DNS server form - Auto-install blocky-bin via paru with pkexec for GUI password prompt - Stop and disable blocky on DNS reset or when switching to DoT/plain - Show DoH support in 'dns list-servers' output - Add i18n strings for DoH to all 31 locales Built on top of CachyOS#196 (custom DNS server support). Note: DNS over QUIC (DoQ) can be added once blocky ships with 0xERR0R/blocky#2013 (DoQ upstream support) Addresses: CachyOS#156, CachyOS#144

vnepogodin

LGTM overall

The fallback mechanism automatically serves English when a translation string is missing, so copying English strings to other locales is unnecessary.

awlx · 2026-03-28T05:45:48Z

Removed the translation strings as discussed in #200

Add DoH support to the DNS settings page using blocky as a local DNS proxy. When DoH is enabled, blocky is installed (blocky-bin from AUR), configured with the selected server's DoH URL, and started as a systemd service. NetworkManager is pointed to 127.0.0.1 for resolution. Changes: - Add DoH URL map for 14 DNS servers that support DNS over HTTPS - Add blocky config generation with DoT-encrypted bootstrap DNS when the server supports it, falling back to plaintext IPs otherwise - Add DoH checkbox to DNS settings GUI (mutually exclusive with DoT) - Add --doh flag to 'dns set' CLI subcommand (conflicts_with dot) - Add --doh and --doh-url flags to 'dns set-custom' for custom DoH servers, using the custom IPv4/IPv6 addresses and DoT hostname for bootstrap resolution - Add DoH URL input field to the custom DNS server form - Auto-install blocky-bin via paru with pkexec for GUI password prompt - Stop and disable blocky on DNS reset or when switching to DoT/plain - Show DoH support in 'dns list-servers' output - Add i18n strings for DoH to all 31 locales Built on top of CachyOS#196 (custom DNS server support). Note: DNS over QUIC (DoQ) can be added once blocky ships with 0xERR0R/blocky#2013 (DoQ upstream support) Addresses: CachyOS#156, CachyOS#144

vnepogodin

Many thanks

Add DoH support to the DNS settings page using blocky as a local DNS proxy. When DoH is enabled, blocky is installed (blocky-bin from AUR), configured with the selected server's DoH URL, and started as a systemd service. NetworkManager is pointed to 127.0.0.1 for resolution. Changes: - Add DoH URL map for 14 DNS servers that support DNS over HTTPS - Add blocky config generation with DoT-encrypted bootstrap DNS when the server supports it, falling back to plaintext IPs otherwise - Add DoH checkbox to DNS settings GUI (mutually exclusive with DoT) - Add --doh flag to 'dns set' CLI subcommand (conflicts_with dot) - Add --doh and --doh-url flags to 'dns set-custom' for custom DoH servers, using the custom IPv4/IPv6 addresses and DoT hostname for bootstrap resolution - Add DoH URL input field to the custom DNS server form - Auto-install blocky-bin via paru with pkexec for GUI password prompt - Stop and disable blocky on DNS reset or when switching to DoT/plain - Show DoH support in 'dns list-servers' output - Add i18n strings for DoH to all 31 locales Built on top of #196 (custom DNS server support). Note: DNS over QUIC (DoQ) can be added once blocky ships with 0xERR0R/blocky#2013 (DoQ upstream support) Addresses: #156, #144

* feat(dns): add custom DNS server support Add a 'Custom' option to the DNS server dropdown allowing users to specify their own DNS server addresses and DoT hostname, addressing use cases like NextDNS or other custom resolvers. Changes: - Add 'Custom' entry to DNS server combo box with IPv4, IPv6, and DoT hostname input fields - Use NetworkManager's native 'address#hostname' notation to persist DoT hostnames across restarts - Read back DoT state and hostname from NM on startup - Add SNI hostname validation (RFC-compliant DNS labels) - Add 'set-custom' CLI subcommand for custom DNS from command line - Fix preset servers to include DoT hostname in addr#hostname format - Add i18n strings for custom DNS to all 31 locales Closes: #144 * fix(i18n): remove untranslated English strings from non-English locales The fallback mechanism automatically serves English when a translation string is missing, so copying English strings to other locales is unnecessary. * fix(i18n): remove empty Custom DNS stubs from non-English locales * feat(dns): add DNS over HTTPS (DoH) support via blocky Add DoH support to the DNS settings page using blocky as a local DNS proxy. When DoH is enabled, blocky is installed (blocky-bin from AUR), configured with the selected server's DoH URL, and started as a systemd service. NetworkManager is pointed to 127.0.0.1 for resolution. Changes: - Add DoH URL map for 14 DNS servers that support DNS over HTTPS - Add blocky config generation with DoT-encrypted bootstrap DNS when the server supports it, falling back to plaintext IPs otherwise - Add DoH checkbox to DNS settings GUI (mutually exclusive with DoT) - Add --doh flag to 'dns set' CLI subcommand (conflicts_with dot) - Add --doh and --doh-url flags to 'dns set-custom' for custom DoH servers, using the custom IPv4/IPv6 addresses and DoT hostname for bootstrap resolution - Add DoH URL input field to the custom DNS server form - Auto-install blocky-bin via paru with pkexec for GUI password prompt - Stop and disable blocky on DNS reset or when switching to DoT/plain - Show DoH support in 'dns list-servers' output - Add i18n strings for DoH to all 31 locales Built on top of #196 (custom DNS server support). Note: DNS over QUIC (DoQ) can be added once blocky ships with 0xERR0R/blocky#2013 (DoQ upstream support) Addresses: #156, #144 * fix: address PR review comments - Remove untranslated English strings from all non-English i18n files; the fallback mechanism serves English automatically - Use install_needed_packages for blocky installation in change_dns_server_doh - Use utils::get_tweak_toggle_cmd in stop_blocky (consistent with install_winboat) - Fix read_active_doh_url to strip YAML quotes so preset server detection works * feat(dns): set CachyOS userAgent in blocky config

awlx force-pushed the feature/custom-dns-server branch from 6b0bd68 to 008e256 Compare March 23, 2026 07:46

awlx mentioned this pull request Mar 23, 2026

[Feature Request] Add DoH/DoT disable option and custom server support in DNS Changer #156

Closed

awlx mentioned this pull request Mar 25, 2026

feat(dns): add DNS over HTTPS (DoH) support via blocky #200

Merged

vnepogodin requested changes Mar 27, 2026

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Comment thread i18n/zh-CN/cachyos_hello.ftl Outdated

fix(i18n): remove untranslated English strings from non-English locales

8f20ef6

The fallback mechanism automatically serves English when a translation string is missing, so copying English strings to other locales is unnecessary.

awlx requested a review from vnepogodin March 28, 2026 05:50

fix(i18n): remove empty Custom DNS stubs from non-English locales

6b65d1f

vnepogodin approved these changes Mar 28, 2026

View reviewed changes

vnepogodin merged commit 5d7c48d into CachyOS:develop Mar 28, 2026
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feat(dns): add custom DNS server support#196

feat(dns): add custom DNS server support#196
vnepogodin merged 3 commits intoCachyOS:developfrom
awlx:feature/custom-dns-server

awlx commented Mar 23, 2026

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awlx commented Mar 28, 2026

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awlx commented Mar 23, 2026

What changed

Testing

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