Adding a Local DNS Override for yourserver.skyepbx.com (On prem customers only)

🎯 Purpose

This guide is for on-premise SkyPBX server customers only.

Phones at your school use the domain yourserver.skyepbx.com to reach your on-site SkyPBX VoIP server. However, that domain resolves (via Cloudflare) to an internal IP (e.g., 192.168.1.10). If your internet connection goes down, the phones can't resolve the domain—even though the server is still up locally.

To ensure continued phone service during internet outages, you need to configure your internal DNS server to override the domain name locally.

🛠️ What You Need

• This applies only if you have a SkyPBX server located on-site.

• Access to your school's internal DNS server (Windows Server DNS or UTM/router DNS)

• The local IP address of your on-site SkyPBX server (e.g., 192.168.1.10)

• Admin rights on the DNS system

🧭 Step-by-Step Instructions

🔹 Option 1: Windows Server DNS

1. Open DNS Manager

   • Press Win + R, type dnsmgmt.msc, and press Enter.

2. Create a New Zone

   • In "Forward Lookup Zones", right-click → New Zone...

   • Select "Primary Zone" → Click Next

   • Choose to replicate in AD if prompted

   • Enter skyepbx.com as the zone name → Finish the wizard

3. Add a Host (A) Record

   • Right-click the new skyepbx.com zone → New Host (A or AAAA)...

   • Name: yourserver

   • IP Address: the local VoIP server IP (e.g., 192.168.1.10)

   • Click "Add Host"

4. Test

   • On a local workstation, run:
     nslookup yourserver.skyepbx.com

   • It should return the local IP address

🔹 Option 2: Router / UTM DNS (e.g., pfSense)

1. Log into pfSense or your router admin interface

2. Navigate to:

   • Services > DNS Resolver

   • or Services > DNS Forwarder

3. Add a Host Override

   • Host: yourserver

   • Domain: skyepbx.com

   • IP Address: local VoIP server IP (e.g., 192.168.1.10)

   • Description: Local SkyPBX Server

   • Save and apply

4. Test the DNS Resolution

   • Run: nslookup yourserver.skyepbx.com

✅ Final Check

From a client on your local network, run:

nslookup yourserver.skyepbx.com

You should see the local IP address (e.g., 192.168.1.10).

🔄 Notes & Best Practices

• This configuration is only required for customers with an on-prem SkyPBX server.

• The DNS record on Cloudflare points to an internal reserved IP and only works while the internet is available.

• Phones rely on DNS. If yourserver.skyepbx.com doesn’t resolve during an outage, phones won’t register—even though the server is on-site.

• Setting up this internal DNS override ensures your phone system stays operational during WAN outages.

• Consider setting a low TTL (Time To Live) on your internal A record (e.g., 60 seconds) in case you need to update it.