Interaction between VPN and DNS services
Interaction between VPN and DNS services
Hello, I see you're trying to connect the dots between VPNs, DNS, and your PiHole setup. Let's break it down simply.
When you use Mullvad VPN, your internet traffic goes through their servers, which act as a proxy. Your ISP won't see what you're searching for because they only get the encrypted traffic from your VPN tunnel. The VPN also encrypts your data, keeping it private.
For your PiHole, you're planning to configure it as the main DNS resolver on your network. This means your router will use PiHole's DNS answers instead of your ISP's. If you want both services working together, you can set your VPN's DNS to point to PiHole's DNS server.
Now, about your concern: when your traffic leaves your network, it first goes through the VPN tunnel and then through PiHole's DNS. The VPN continues to encrypt everything until it reaches the final destination. So yes, your VPN remains secure, but you'll need to ensure PiHole is properly configured to handle that path.
If you're worried about visibility, remember: the VPN handles encryption and routing, while PiHole filters content at the network level. They don't necessarily interfere unless misconfigured. Just double-check your router settings and DNS assignments.
don't try it yet—check for DNS lookups and verify if the VPN detects them. The result will vary based on the VPN setup.
You're asking about what a DNS hit means in this context and how checking the DNS after using PiHole would reveal encryption. It sounds like you're trying to understand whether your traffic remains secure when routed through PiHole. The term "dns hit" likely refers to a lookup query being resolved, which could indicate if the DNS resolution is being handled correctly or if there are issues with routing. If you search for something using the VPN's DNS and see it returning the PiHole server, it suggests that your queries are being directed appropriately, implying encryption is in place.
I aim to conceal my internet activity from my service provider. Currently, I'm routing my DNS queries through a VPN, but adding a PiHole would serve as the DNS filter. At this stage, I'm unsure whether the VPN still operates effectively.
The sentence is asking whether changing the VPN to use a different DNS service actually provides any advantages. It wants to know if the VPN continues to protect your data by encrypting traffic and if it still hides your requests from services like Cloudflare, even when using DNS over HTTPS or another method.
If it reaches your private tunnel, DNS queries won't pass through the VPN. You can't conceal your DNS traffic from the provider, they'll always detect it—whether you're using a VPN or not. This helps mask activity from anyone in between. DOH ensures the ISP remains unaware of the specific DNS requests being sent.
Maybe my grasp of VPN functionality is incorrect. I thought using a VPN meant first querying its DNS, then any external DNS would reveal the VPN’s IP address instead of your own device's. This would help keep you more private and less traceable. If I’m running just a PiHole, I connect my computer’s IP to it, but any extra DNS requests would still show up as my machine’s IP. I wondered if I could switch to using the PiHole DNS before connecting to the VPN so all upstream traffic wouldn’t be linked back to me. The PiHole would recognize me regardless. I’m still unsure about this idea. Edit: Is it possible to configure an upstream DNS for your VPN provider? That might address what I’m after.
Many VPN programs include an exception for your local area network, allowing devices on your LAN to connect. This means a NAS, streaming to your TV, and managing network devices remain functional. Since your Pi-hole is set up on your local network, you can still access it without issues, and DNS queries won’t be impacted by the VPN. In short, using the VPN on your router ensures all devices go through it together, not just your computer.