DNS protocol problem with Vista hosts => check Shrew Soft Lightweight filter rules

[kirpi]

Hi,

With VirtualBox 2.2.0 r45846 installed on Vista 32-bit hosts, and bridged mode, DNS doesn't work. i.e. when I try to query a web site, I can't get a response.

I tried both of these systems:

• Host: Vista Home Premium 6.0 Build 6001 Service Pack 1
• Guest: Checkpoint SecurePlatform
• Host interface: Intel Pro/Wireless 3945ABG.
• Guest interface: PCnet-FAST III (Am79C973)

• Host: Vista Ultimate 6.0 Build 6000
• Guest: Fedora 10
• Host interface: Intel Pro/Wireless 3945ABG
• Guest interface: PCnet-PCI II (Am79C970A) or Intel PRO/1000 MT Desktop (82540EM)

The problem is strictly DNS. Because when I try to reach web sites over HTTP using their IP addresses I can do that. It seems every other traffic type is working but DNS. Check the output of the following commands please:

[Expert@cpmodule]# cat /etc/resolv.conf
nameserver 195.175.39.40
nameserver 195.175.39.39
[Expert@cpmodule]# ping 195.175.39.40
PING 195.175.39.40 (195.175.39.40) 56(84) bytes of data.
64 bytes from 195.175.39.40: icmp_seq=0 ttl=247 time=39.2 ms
64 bytes from 195.175.39.40: icmp_seq=1 ttl=247 time=32.4 ms

--- 195.175.39.40 ping statistics ---
2 packets transmitted, 2 received, 0% packet loss, time 999ms
rtt min/avg/max/mdev = 32.410/35.849/39.288/3.439 ms, pipe 2
[Expert@cpmodule]# ping 195.175.39.39
PING 195.175.39.39 (195.175.39.39) 56(84) bytes of data.
64 bytes from 195.175.39.39: icmp_seq=0 ttl=252 time=29.5 ms
64 bytes from 195.175.39.39: icmp_seq=1 ttl=252 time=28.6 ms

--- 195.175.39.39 ping statistics ---
2 packets transmitted, 2 received, 0% packet loss, time 1003ms
rtt min/avg/max/mdev = 28.633/29.101/29.570/0.498 ms, pipe 2
[Expert@cpmodule]# nslookup google.com
;; connection timed out; no servers could be reached

[Expert@cpmodule]# nslookup google.com 4.2.2.4
;; connection timed out; no servers could be reached

[Expert@cpmodule]# ping 74.125.67.100
PING 74.125.67.100 (74.125.67.100) 56(84) bytes of data.
64 bytes from 74.125.67.100: icmp_seq=0 ttl=242 time=167 ms
64 bytes from 74.125.67.100: icmp_seq=1 ttl=242 time=174 ms

--- 74.125.67.100 ping statistics ---
2 packets transmitted, 2 received, 0% packet loss, time 1000ms
rtt min/avg/max/mdev = 167.857/171.396/174.936/3.563 ms, pipe 2

[Frank Mehnert]

Duplicate of #3655, fixed in SVN.

[kirpi]

hello frank,

this is not a DHCP issue?! this is a DNS issue. my guest can't get DNS requests through the bridged network.. it has no problem obtaining an IP address from the DHCP server. As you could see in the logs, there was no problem connecting the internet other than DNS protocol.

By the way, I already checked ticket #3655. I actually have tried using ​this dll that you have posted on that subject but it didn't help at all.

also, to show that this is not a DHCP problem, you can see above that DNS queries specifying a DNS server doesn't work either.

I am re-opening this ticket.

Kind regards, Kirpi

[Frank Mehnert]

Kirpi, ok, I missed these facts. Are you sure that no firewall on the host is blocking some packages?

[kirpi]

no firewalls are on. I actually used wireshark on the interface to see if any dns packets are forwarded but none are.

i also opened trace on the virtualbox guest. i'll attach the trace asap.

[czietz]

I can reproduce this bug with VirtualBox 2.2.2 r46594. Host: Windows Vista Business Version 6.0 (Build 6001: Service Pack 1), Guest: Debian 5.0, Host interface: Intel(R) 82567LM Gigabit Network Connection, Guest interface: PCnet-FAST III.

Symptoms are exactly the same: All network traffic works except for DNS. I can ping hosts or reach them using their IP address, domain name resolution fails. (Obviously I checked that the DNS servers are set correctly in the guest OS.)

[Frank Mehnert]

Could you attach a network trace when doing DNS from the guest (VBoxManage modifyvm VM_NAME --nictrace1 on)?

[czietz]

NIC trace while unsuccessfully trying DNS queries

[czietz]

@frank: You'll find a trace attached that contains all packets sent from and to the IP assigned to my VM guest. You can see that DHCP and ICMP (ping) work while there is no reply to DNS queries.

[czietz]

PS: I forgot to mention: Host OS is a 64 bit (x64) Vista Business.

[Frank Mehnert]

Thank you!

[Vitaliy Tsvayer]

Is there any resolution for this issue? I have Virtual Box 2.2.2,

Windows Vista 64bit as Host and Windows XP 32bit as guest with exactly the same DNS problem.

[Vitaliy Tsvayer]

Well, I have finally found the reason in my case. I have Shrew Soft VPN installed on Host and unchecking Shrew Soft Lightweight Filter in Network Connection Properties solved DNS problem.

[czietz]

tsvayer, thank you very much! Unchecking the Shrew Soft Lightweight Filter resolves the problem for me as well.

Unfortunately this is not a perfect solution since I can't permanently disable Shrew Soft VPN here.

[Vitaliy Tsvayer]

Well, it is not solution for me either, just a quick work around. At least we know the reason now. Hope it will be handled in the next release (or maybe it's Shrew who breaks "rules"? :S) Replying to czietz:

tsvayer, thank you very much! Unchecking the Shrew Soft Lightweight Filter resolves the problem for me as well.

Unfortunately this is not a perfect solution since I can't permanently disable Shrew Soft VPN here.

[Vitaliy Tsvayer]

It is the Shrew Bug. Exactly the same problem with VMWare: ​http://www.shrew.net/support/ticket/6

[Frank Mehnert]

tsvayer, thank you for investigating!