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fionaC
fionaC
Explorer
October 8, 2025
Question

For those of you with Windows DNS Servers, are your forwarding DNS to your Fortigate?

  • October 8, 2025
  • 1 reply
  • 497 views

Hi All,

I am using Windows DNS servers and I initially had it setup to use Google as the external forwarders.

Since all my devices are set to send traffic through my Fortigate, and I had DNS security profile on my firewall policies, I thought that was fine.

 

However, I recently read a post that said that the Windows DNS server should be set to use the Fortigate as the external forwarding destination, and that the Fortigate should have interface configured under Network > DNS Servers, and then forward to system DNS in order for DNS filtering to work. 

 

Which of these is correct, or best practice? Thanks. 

 

 

1 reply

Atul_S
Staff & Editor
Atul_S
Staff & Editor
October 9, 2025

Hi Fiona,

 

Generally, best practice is to have Windows DNS forward to FortiGate, which is configured with internal interfaces and DNS forwarding to system/ISP DNS, and to enable DNS Security in firewall policies. This ensures filtering works as intended.

 

Thanks,

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