Join PiHole on the network without needing a router.
Join PiHole on the network without needing a router.
Hi everyone, the goal is to use PiHole on a Raspberry Pi across the whole network without configuring it as a DNS server on the router. We need a way to protect traffic from my friend’s house without accessing the router or its credentials. Services like EBlocker already do this, so it seems possible. Someone can suggest a method to route traffic through PiHole without changing anything inside the router. Thanks in advance!
Based on my interpretation, it's not feasible to make all devices on a network use the same DNS server. You can assign your own DNS IP to the RasPi once it has an IP, but forcing every computer to adopt a specific DNS requires either router-based automation or manual intervention from you.
Set up PiHole on your machine and configure its DNS to 127.0.0.1. Follow the instructions here: https://pawelurbanek.com/pihole-local-computer
I understand you need local DNS functionality but want network-wide access without touching the router or installing software. Eblocker can handle that—it requires a short setup time and then lets you control devices through its menu.
There are three effective approaches. One involves pairing a VPN with PiHole and using the PiHole's DNS for the connection. The drawback is constant VPN connectivity is required. Another option sets up WireGuard and uses PiHole as its DNS, offering speedier performance and better support for mobile devices like smartphones. It maintains a stable connection even when switching between cell towers, though it still needs an encrypted tunnel which some services might block. You can also change the port to 443 and use Stunnel to circumvent restrictions, but the third method may suit your needs best. Lastly, you can employ a DNS proxy and simply configure it to point to your PiHole. This provides no security benefits but ensures minimal disruptions and maximum speed. There are even iOS apps for DNS proxies, supporting full device compatibility. The main consideration is that you must expose your PiHole externally, requiring thorough research on its security.
You'll need to adjust the router settings. However, many IoT devices rely on fixed DNS configurations, which means they'll keep using their previous settings.
No simple answers exist for this. You’d need to execute a MITM attack on your own network to intercept and analyze DNS requests, processing them through your pihole. If your setup is mostly wireless, you can also try an Evil Twin Attack by setting up a separate network on your pihole device.
That's actually a good point. MITM might just be what I need for that didn't think about that yet.
It wouldn't work without a physical connection between the router and the network, especially when clients are using WiFi. If it were feasible, exploiting a network would be much simpler, which we definitely don't want. Also, encrypted DNS solutions like DNS over HTTPS or TLS aren't meant to be bypassed—they're designed to protect data.