Use DNS services that support privacy features like DNS over HTTPS or DNS over TLS to mask your public IP address.
Use DNS services that support privacy features like DNS over HTTPS or DNS over TLS to mask your public IP address.
Adguard Home can help conceal your public IP address. You can set up a proxy server for this purpose. Regarding DNS, it mainly helps filter traffic and block specific sites rather than just ads. It can block pop-up ads that appear after clicking on a site. However, it won’t stop all types of ads or provide complete anonymity. For deeper understanding, someone with technical expertise can guide you better. Your main aim is clear—exploring your home lab is rewarding, so focus on learning the right steps.
You're asking about the purpose behind your request. Are you looking to hide your IP address while browsing the web, or are you planning to run services that need public access on your home network? (Running services without understanding the risks can be dangerous.)
The Domain Name System (DNS) translates domain names into IP addresses. Services such as AdGuard only indicate "Unknown" when a request can't be resolved. This is similar to deleting certain phone numbers from a directory—prevents access to specific sites but doesn’t stop the service entirely. You can still reach them through other means if available. DNS blocklists are useful only when no other resolution options exist, like switching DNS providers. They simply stop ads from resolving, such as blocking ads.google.com, without affecting functionality elsewhere.
Using custom DNS settings such as AdGuard or NextDNS allows you to manage specific records. For instance, if you need a local IP to map to a fully qualified domain name like homelab.local, you can configure that record to point to your homelab's IP. You can also set up a reverse proxy in front of that IP to route multiple records correctly to the appropriate service. If you're unsure about the process, it's best to proceed gradually, starting with basic IP and port addressing before tackling advanced configurations. For hiding your IP, consider accessing services remotely—either by setting up a VPN or using your public IP to reach available services. The latter option is risky and should only be done if you're confident, as highlighted by @Needfuldoer. If you choose the VPN route, Tailscale is a strong recommendation for connecting devices across the web.
TS is essentially Wireguard wrapped in a user-friendly interface! It uses Wireguard's capabilities with a smooth, easy-to-use wrapper. Perfect for installing the TS client across all devices, even mobile ones. The node exit feature is impressive!
@Net3 DNS offers a way to filter out malicious sites and ease network traffic. Check your desktop activity by visiting https://wireshark.org, installing the tool, and clicking on the item with the activity line. Type "dns" in the top bar and press enter. When scrolling stops, your system is idle and ready. Tools like pi-hole in VirtualBox can block unwanted traffic, letting you group sites such as Windows updates and toggle them on or off. My setup limits everything except three update pages, which slows down connection checks but keeps Wi-Fi usage respectful for work. I prefer monitoring what loads and trusting only trusted sources, using extensions like Privacy Badger or NoScript to block suspicious sites and avoid accidental clicks.
I reached a resolution. The file contains "YAML" data, allowing me to modify the IP address freely. This makes accessing it possible even after changing my local network IP. I learned about DNS and pi hole, which helped clear ads effectively. Now I see more diverse applications for DNS beyond just removing ads.
I really enjoyed this blog and would appreciate more promotion from the project https://pi-hole.net/blog/2017/02/22/what...h-pi-hole/. It's from 2017 but remains very useful and up-to-date.
yeah. but you can do stuff with that. example: *not so random online storefront* if you changed the DNS (to a certain one) everything suddenly becomes *free*... this actually happened for years... on a *very well known platform* (kinda wouldn't surprise me if it still worked lol) that said, i have no idea what op is trying to do... ¯\_(ツ)_/¯ tldr: as i see this DNS is a huge loophole for all kinds of stuff. (spoofing etc etc) edit: for hiding ip I'd think you use vpn... voila its "hidden" (upfront but can still be figured out obviously with the right tools/access)