Why does Citrix Receiver send DNS query for nonexistent hostname?

Why does Citrix Receiver send DNS query for nonexistent hostname?

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Article ID: CTX206182

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Updated On:

Description

This article is intended for Citrix administrators and technical teams only.
Non-admin users must contact their company's Help Desk/IT support team and can refer to CTX297149 for more information.
 

Question:
Why does Citrix Receiver send DNS queries to similar NonExistingSubDomain?

Answer:
Citrix Receiver sends DNS queries approximately every 15 minutes and will also send a DNS query request when:

  1. It detects the client computer's network connection has changed, or
  2. The Receiver process starts.


Receiver will send a request to a likely non-existent address similar to NonExistingSubDomxin6a1e1a4c.<domain>.  If you enable DNS logging in Windows server you'll see entries similar to...
1/26/2016 4:34:10 PM 0440 PACKET  00000000021DD3B0 UDP Rcv 10.25.228.121   514e   Q [0001   D   NOERROR] A     (28)NonExistingSubDomxin6a1e1a4c(2)sf(3)orb(5)local(0)
1/26/2016 4:34:10 PM 0440 PACKET  00000000021DD3B0 UDP Snd 10.25.228.121   514e R Q [8385 A DR NXDOMAIN] A     (28)NonExistingSubDomxin6a1e1a4c(2)sf(3)orb(5)local(0)

Receiver sends queries to the non-existing domain to resolve a false positive scenario.  This is expected behavior and can be safely ignored.

This action is for beacons so that it can identify whether the user is internal or external. 

Environment

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Issue/Introduction

Citrix Receiver sends DNS queries approximately every 15 minutes. Receiver also sends DNS query request when: it detects the client computer's network connection has changed, or the Receiver process starts.

Additional Information

Configure beacon points: http://docs.citrix.com/en-us/storefront/2-6/dws-manage/dws-configure-beacon.html

Enable DNS logging in Windows Server: https://support.appriver.com/kb/a669/enable-dns-request-logging-for-windows-2003-and-above.aspx
  1. In DNS Manager, right click on DNS server
  2. Select properties, Debug Logging tab
  3. Enter file path (ex. c:\dns.txt)
  4. Click OK to enable logging.
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