Change DNS setttings of remote PC's

PowerShell Help
1

Hi,

I have the following to change DNS settings on remote computers.
I would like to be able to report back on all clients in the clients.txt file that failed to get their settings updated
Thanks

$dnsservers = “192.168.60.4”,“192.168.60.51”
$computers = Get-Content “C:\clients\clients.txt”
foreach ($comp in $computers) {
$adapters = Get-WmiObject -q “select * from win32_networkadapterconfiguration where ipenabled=‘true’” -ComputerName $comp
foreach ($adapter in $adapters)
{
$adapter.setDNSServerSearchOrder($dnsservers)
}
}

2

Something like this might achieve what you’re after:

$dnsservers = "192.168.60.4","192.168.60.51"
$computers = Get-Content "C:\clients\clients.txt"
foreach ($comp in $computers) {
    Try {
        $adapters = Get-WmiObject -q "select * from win32_networkadapterconfiguration where ipenabled='true'" -ComputerName $comp -ErrorAction Stop
        foreach ($adapter in $adapters) {
            $adapter.setDNSServerSearchOrder($dnsservers)
        }
    } Catch {
        #Write to text file, output object, etc.
    }
}
3

Jason, the TS stated he wanted to get informed if the settings were not being applied. You’re putting -ErrorAction Stop before the settings get applied, so your solution is no applicable. I’m wondering why the TS can’t use Set-DnsClientServerAddress? With that you can use a try/each construct in the appropriate way.

4

I’m not sure I follow how the solution isn’t applicable unless you’re referring the potential that the method call could fail. If that’s the case, I might suggest the following:

$dnsservers = "192.168.60.4","192.168.60.51"
$computers = Get-Content "C:\clients\clients.txt"
foreach ($comp in $computers) {
    Try {
        $adapters = Get-WmiObject -q "select * from win32_networkadapterconfiguration where ipenabled='true'" -ComputerName $comp -ErrorAction Stop
        foreach ($adapter in $adapters) {
            $result = $adapter.setDNSServerSearchOrder($dnsservers)
            #SetDNSServerSearchOrder method returns: https://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/aa393295(v=vs.85).aspx
            switch ($result) {
                0       {"DNSServerSearchOrder modified. No reboot required."}
                1       {"DNSServerSearchOrder modified. Reboot required."}
                default {Throw "An error occurred. The error was $result"}
        }
    } Catch {
        #Write to text file, output object, etc.
    }
}

As for Set-DNSClientServerAddress, I would suspect an OS older than 2012 is at work here.

5

Basically guys what I’ve been tasked to do is update all DNS settings for just over 100 Windows 10 PC’s.
The initial script I pasted seems to work but I am trying to add some extra info that will list all PC’s that did not update. If there is a better or easier way to do this then great.

Cheers

6

Stuart, can’t you use Set-DnsClientServerAddress?

7

I don’t know if I can use that? I’m reading what I can but struggling to find a way to do it. I keep going going to websites that lead e to a different idea but am getting nowhere fast. Grrr
Cheers