Interaction between VPN and DNS services
Interaction between VPN and DNS services
Typically you can combine a VPN with your own DNS settings, such as using Cloudflare’s 1.1.1.1 for privacy while preparing to add a Pi-Hole network that caches important resources. In most VPN configurations you simply switch it to point to your local DNS or similar. If you prefer not to rely on Cloudflare’s DNS, you can look up the IP addresses for services like Mullvad and configure them in your Pi-Hole to block ads while also encrypting your traffic.
Adjusting the POH to use VPN DNS won’t change the outcome, and it may fail since the POH isn’t connected to a VPN. When using a public DNS server, it usually operates through the VPN; however, if it’s on your local network, it won’t pass through the VPN.
Your VPN's DNS configuration should point to pi-hole. When pi-hole accepts the address, it will forward it according to your settings in the configuration file. This allows pi-hole to function as your DNS resolver. If pi-hole is permitted, it will route traffic through whatever DNS you specify. To ensure pi-hole works around the VPN, set up a dedicated VPN client on the same device running pi-hole and direct pi-hole to use that client.