[GH-ISSUE #5266] Internal Domain resolution fails with wildcard DNS domain. #11060

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opened 2026-08-05 01:28:20 -04:00 by saavagebueno · 3 comments
Owner

Originally created by @crntnvdl on GitHub (Feb 5, 2026).
Original GitHub issue: https://github.com/netbirdio/netbird/issues/5266

Describe the problem

Internal domain names resolves to public IP when using wildcard subdomain.

To Reproduce

Steps to reproduce the behavior:

  1. Setup public DNS with a wildcard subdomain like :
        IN A     XX.XX.XX.XX
*        IN CNAME     example.com.
  1. Deploy netbird stack on netbird.example.com (using wildcard certificates), with search domain within wildcard zone like: nb.example.com.
  2. Add peers and ensure policies allows them to communicate
  3. Try to resolve peer name like computer.nb.example.com
  4. Resolved IP is the one from public DNS. i.e. the netbird server.

Expected behavior

The request should resolve to the internal IP address of the peer.

Are you using NetBird Cloud?

Self-Hosted NetBird control plane.

Management v0.64.3
Dashboard v2.30.0

NetBird version

0.64.5

Is any other VPN software installed?

No

Debug output

To help us resolve the problem, please attach the following anonymized status output

Peers detail:
 zenbook.nb.anon-CAFy7.domain:
  NetBird IP: 100.74.172.205
  Public key: hLp2pXEokgjczWa4BxDv4dC61JVvZjWuhCpMWlzzTV4=
  Status: Connected
  -- detail --
  Connection type: P2P
  ICE candidate (Local/Remote): host/host
  ICE candidate endpoints (Local/Remote): 192.168.1.65:51820/192.168.1.124:51820
  Relay server address: rels://netbird.anon-CAFy7.domain:443
  Last connection update: 48 minutes, 17 seconds ago
  Last WireGuard handshake: 1 minute, 10 seconds ago
  Transfer status (received/sent) 73.3 KiB/92.0 KiB
  Quantum resistance: false
  Networks: -
  Latency: 24.884583ms

Events:
  [INFO] SYSTEM (56fcd4be-f8a5-4b12-9461-616f29cc5692)
    Message: Network map updated
    Time: 37 minutes, 44 seconds ago
  [INFO] SYSTEM (e2f1bd2d-f6fa-471b-8529-5bc6c219cffa)
    Message: Network map updated
    Time: 37 minutes, 43 seconds ago
  [INFO] SYSTEM (527e882b-7122-4f26-9c2f-bedc44382d36)
    Message: Network map updated
    Time: 36 minutes, 50 seconds ago
  [INFO] SYSTEM (b6deb5eb-812a-4d64-bace-ec1bd2fcc999)
    Message: Network map updated
    Time: 36 minutes, 50 seconds ago
  [INFO] SYSTEM (5168de78-86c5-425f-9aa5-75cd4559ff05)
    Message: Network map updated
    Time: 36 minutes, 49 seconds ago
  [INFO] SYSTEM (369c9cc5-4a38-4811-a470-41d76158aba7)
    Message: Network map updated
    Time: 36 minutes, 12 seconds ago
  [INFO] SYSTEM (abfdfe0d-c135-4c39-b0fe-3456efca003f)
    Message: Network map updated
    Time: 35 minutes, 30 seconds ago
  [INFO] SYSTEM (1621c685-81eb-445b-97ad-1283fa47af47)
    Message: Network map updated
    Time: 35 minutes, 10 seconds ago
  [INFO] SYSTEM (f0241a39-e9bd-48b0-9e2c-9314350b2dc5)
    Message: Network map updated
    Time: 30 minutes, 36 seconds ago
  [INFO] SYSTEM (6380d1b6-9e7e-4d29-a3e7-4b1c4df28394)
    Message: Network map updated
    Time: 26 minutes, 44 seconds ago
OS: darwin/arm64
Daemon version: 0.64.5
CLI version: 0.64.5
Profile: Capeima
Management: Connected to https://netbird.anon-CAFy7.domain:443
Signal: Connected to https://netbird.anon-CAFy7.domain:443
Relays:
  [stun:netbird.anon-CAFy7.domain:3478] is Available
  [rels://netbird.anon-CAFy7.domain:443] is Available
Nameservers:
FQDN: corentins-air.nb.anon-CAFy7.domain
NetBird IP: 100.74.8.125/16
Interface type: Userspace
Quantum resistance: false
Lazy connection: false
SSH Server: Disabled
Networks: -
Peers count: 1/1 Connected

Create and upload a debug bundle, and share the returned file key:

364459a068b6f6e4b25105055e3856ebc4d7cd39ef0178ba322a87e8e9fbb4d7/3baea7ac-f8e7-4ed1-adfe-fa3119232f94
During the session tried in this order:

ssh computer
ssh computer.nb.example.com
ssh user@100.74.172.205

First and second failed and showed the server key from the server example.com (so domain wildcard was resolved), third asked for SSO login and connected OK.

Screenshots

If applicable, add screenshots to help explain your problem.

Additional context

Add any other context about the problem here.

Have you tried these troubleshooting steps?

  • Reviewed client troubleshooting (if applicable)
  • Checked for newer NetBird versions
  • Searched for similar issues on GitHub (including closed ones)
  • Restarted the NetBird client
  • Disabled other VPN software
  • Checked firewall settings
Originally created by @crntnvdl on GitHub (Feb 5, 2026). Original GitHub issue: https://github.com/netbirdio/netbird/issues/5266 **Describe the problem** Internal domain names resolves to public IP when using wildcard subdomain. **To Reproduce** Steps to reproduce the behavior: 1. Setup public DNS with a wildcard subdomain like : ``` IN A XX.XX.XX.XX * IN CNAME example.com. ``` 2. Deploy netbird stack on `netbird.example.com` (using wildcard certificates), with search domain within wildcard zone like: `nb.example.com`. 3. Add peers and ensure policies allows them to communicate 4. Try to resolve peer name like `computer.nb.example.com` 5. Resolved IP is the one from public DNS. i.e. the netbird server. **Expected behavior** The request should resolve to the internal IP address of the peer. **Are you using NetBird Cloud?** Self-Hosted NetBird control plane. ``` Management v0.64.3 Dashboard v2.30.0 ``` **NetBird version** 0.64.5 **Is any other VPN software installed?** No **Debug output** To help us resolve the problem, please attach the following anonymized status output ``` Peers detail: zenbook.nb.anon-CAFy7.domain: NetBird IP: 100.74.172.205 Public key: hLp2pXEokgjczWa4BxDv4dC61JVvZjWuhCpMWlzzTV4= Status: Connected -- detail -- Connection type: P2P ICE candidate (Local/Remote): host/host ICE candidate endpoints (Local/Remote): 192.168.1.65:51820/192.168.1.124:51820 Relay server address: rels://netbird.anon-CAFy7.domain:443 Last connection update: 48 minutes, 17 seconds ago Last WireGuard handshake: 1 minute, 10 seconds ago Transfer status (received/sent) 73.3 KiB/92.0 KiB Quantum resistance: false Networks: - Latency: 24.884583ms Events: [INFO] SYSTEM (56fcd4be-f8a5-4b12-9461-616f29cc5692) Message: Network map updated Time: 37 minutes, 44 seconds ago [INFO] SYSTEM (e2f1bd2d-f6fa-471b-8529-5bc6c219cffa) Message: Network map updated Time: 37 minutes, 43 seconds ago [INFO] SYSTEM (527e882b-7122-4f26-9c2f-bedc44382d36) Message: Network map updated Time: 36 minutes, 50 seconds ago [INFO] SYSTEM (b6deb5eb-812a-4d64-bace-ec1bd2fcc999) Message: Network map updated Time: 36 minutes, 50 seconds ago [INFO] SYSTEM (5168de78-86c5-425f-9aa5-75cd4559ff05) Message: Network map updated Time: 36 minutes, 49 seconds ago [INFO] SYSTEM (369c9cc5-4a38-4811-a470-41d76158aba7) Message: Network map updated Time: 36 minutes, 12 seconds ago [INFO] SYSTEM (abfdfe0d-c135-4c39-b0fe-3456efca003f) Message: Network map updated Time: 35 minutes, 30 seconds ago [INFO] SYSTEM (1621c685-81eb-445b-97ad-1283fa47af47) Message: Network map updated Time: 35 minutes, 10 seconds ago [INFO] SYSTEM (f0241a39-e9bd-48b0-9e2c-9314350b2dc5) Message: Network map updated Time: 30 minutes, 36 seconds ago [INFO] SYSTEM (6380d1b6-9e7e-4d29-a3e7-4b1c4df28394) Message: Network map updated Time: 26 minutes, 44 seconds ago OS: darwin/arm64 Daemon version: 0.64.5 CLI version: 0.64.5 Profile: Capeima Management: Connected to https://netbird.anon-CAFy7.domain:443 Signal: Connected to https://netbird.anon-CAFy7.domain:443 Relays: [stun:netbird.anon-CAFy7.domain:3478] is Available [rels://netbird.anon-CAFy7.domain:443] is Available Nameservers: FQDN: corentins-air.nb.anon-CAFy7.domain NetBird IP: 100.74.8.125/16 Interface type: Userspace Quantum resistance: false Lazy connection: false SSH Server: Disabled Networks: - Peers count: 1/1 Connected ``` Create and upload a debug bundle, and share the returned file key: `364459a068b6f6e4b25105055e3856ebc4d7cd39ef0178ba322a87e8e9fbb4d7/3baea7ac-f8e7-4ed1-adfe-fa3119232f94` During the session tried in this order: ``` ssh computer ssh computer.nb.example.com ssh user@100.74.172.205 ``` First and second failed and showed the server key from the server `example.com` (so domain wildcard was resolved), third asked for SSO login and connected OK. **Screenshots** If applicable, add screenshots to help explain your problem. **Additional context** Add any other context about the problem here. **Have you tried these troubleshooting steps?** - [x] Reviewed [client troubleshooting](https://docs.netbird.io/how-to/troubleshooting-client) (if applicable) - [x] Checked for newer NetBird versions - [x] Searched for similar issues on GitHub (including closed ones) - [x] Restarted the NetBird client - [x] Disabled other VPN software - [x] Checked firewall settings
saavagebueno added the triage-needed label 2026-08-05 01:28:20 -04:00
Author
Owner

@Blackclaws commented on GitHub (Feb 6, 2026):

Why do you think that the ip should resolve to the internal ip address of the peer? In your example the other peers name is zenbook not computer.

Netbird would take over its own domain's DNS resolution but it would fall back to the public dns for any unknown entries if you're using a proper TLD as its domain ending.

<!-- gh-comment-id:3858873605 --> @Blackclaws commented on GitHub (Feb 6, 2026): Why do you think that the ip should resolve to the internal ip address of the peer? In your example the other peers name is zenbook not computer. Netbird would take over its own domain's DNS resolution but it would fall back to the public dns for any unknown entries if you're using a proper TLD as its domain ending.
Author
Owner

@crntnvdl commented on GitHub (Feb 6, 2026):

@Blackclaws whoops forgot to replace info when copy-pasting. The computer is actually called zenbook, and the netbird search domain is configured to be nb.example.com (real domain replaced obv.).

<!-- gh-comment-id:3860304193 --> @crntnvdl commented on GitHub (Feb 6, 2026): @Blackclaws whoops forgot to replace info when copy-pasting. The computer is actually called zenbook, and the netbird search domain is configured to be `nb.example.com` (real domain replaced obv.).
Author
Owner

@crntnvdl commented on GitHub (Feb 18, 2026):

Ended up not using wildcard domain for now. No more issue to note.

<!-- gh-comment-id:3919754443 --> @crntnvdl commented on GitHub (Feb 18, 2026): Ended up not using wildcard domain for now. No more issue to note.
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Reference: DYNR/netbird#11060