Something About Dnsmasq On Ubuntu 15.10

Preface

There are something confusing about dnsmasq on ubuntu 15.10. I would like to write them down here, in case I might forget down the road.

How Dnsmasq Starts On Ubuntu 15.10

You can find the answer in the file /etc/NetworkManager/NetworkManager.conf:

[main]
plugins=ifupdown,keyfile,ofono
dns=dnsmasq

[ifupdown]
managed=false

If you notice the line dns=dnsmasq, you may figure out that it is network-manager that starts dnsmasq. So if you run sudo service network-manager restart, dnsmasq will get retarted too.

Configure Network-Manager Not To Use Dnsmasq

How to let network-manager not use dnsmasq, but use the dns servers specified in the file /etc/resolv.conf instead? Just comment the line dns=dnsmasq in /etc/NetworkManager/NetworkManager.conf would be fine, as follows:

[main]
plugins=ifupdown,keyfile,ofono
#dns=dnsmasq

[ifupdown]
managed=false

Then edit /etc/resolv.conf, add your dns server:

namesever 8.8.8.8

Finally restart network-manager, you will find out the dns server has changed.

sudo service network-manager restart