Set Up Raspberry Pi as DNS Server with Pi-hole: Step-by-Step Guide

To set up your Raspberry Pi as a DNS server with Pi-hole, first install Pi-hole using its automated installer on your Raspberry Pi. Then configure your router or devices to use the Raspberry Pi's IP address as the DNS server, enabling network-wide ad blocking and DNS filtering.

Syntax

The main command to install Pi-hole on Raspberry Pi is:

• curl -sSL https://install.pi-hole.net | bash: Downloads and runs the Pi-hole automated installer script.
• During installation, you select network interface, upstream DNS provider, and blocking lists.
• After installation, Pi-hole runs as a DNS server on your Raspberry Pi.
• Configure your router or devices to use the Raspberry Pi's IP as the DNS server.

bash

curl -sSL https://install.pi-hole.net | bash

Example

This example shows how to install Pi-hole on Raspberry Pi and set it as your network DNS server.

1. Open terminal on Raspberry Pi.

2. Run the installer command.

3. Follow prompts to select interface and DNS provider.

4. After installation, note the Raspberry Pi's IP address.

5. Log in to your router and set the DNS server to the Raspberry Pi's IP.

6. Devices on your network will now use Pi-hole for DNS, blocking ads.

bash

curl -sSL https://install.pi-hole.net | bash

# After installation, check IP address
hostname -I

# Example output:
# 192.168.1.100

# Set router DNS to 192.168.1.100

Output

192.168.1.100

Common Pitfalls

Common mistakes when setting up Pi-hole DNS server:

• Not assigning a static IP to the Raspberry Pi, causing DNS to break if IP changes.
• Forgetting to update router DNS settings to point to Pi-hole.
• Using DHCP DNS settings that override Pi-hole, bypassing ad blocking.
• Not opening necessary ports or firewall rules blocking Pi-hole DNS traffic.
• Installing Pi-hole on an unsupported OS or outdated Raspberry Pi OS version.

Always set a static IP and verify network settings after installation.

bash

## Wrong: Using dynamic IP
# Raspberry Pi IP changes, DNS fails

## Right: Set static IP
sudo nano /etc/dhcpcd.conf
# Add:
interface eth0
static ip_address=192.168.1.100/24
static routers=192.168.1.1
static domain_name_servers=192.168.1.1 127.0.0.1

sudo systemctl restart dhcpcd

Quick Reference

Step	Command/Action	Description
1	curl -sSL https://install.pi-hole.net | bash	Run Pi-hole installer on Raspberry Pi
2	Set static IP	Configure Raspberry Pi to have a fixed IP address
3	Configure router DNS	Set router DNS server to Raspberry Pi IP
4	Verify Pi-hole dashboard	Access Pi-hole admin page at http:///admin
5	Test DNS	Use nslookup or ping to confirm DNS resolution through Pi-hole

Key Takeaways

Install Pi-hole on Raspberry Pi using the official automated script.

Assign a static IP to your Raspberry Pi to ensure consistent DNS service.

Set your router or devices to use the Raspberry Pi's IP as their DNS server.

Verify Pi-hole is working by accessing its admin dashboard and testing DNS queries.

Avoid common mistakes like dynamic IPs and incorrect router DNS settings.