PI- Hole disaster

[mrblank]

hi everyone,

I'm at my wits end as I spent hours last evening trying to get my brand new router and pihole along with my network functional.
I have a static IP through my provider and am running a AX86u with a pi hole zero (wireless and with a static ip) with the latest merlin. I've ran multiple re-flashes, factory defaults and pi hole installs to no avail. I also looked through a few recent posts here , pi hole documentation, reddit posts on how to set it up.
I've identified that as soon as I change my global dns filter (tried router and custom 1) I lose access to my wifi devices, therefore pi hole doesnt work and my network is gone. Oddly whenever I go here it auto changes my router IP to 192.168.1.50 instead of default 192.168.1.1
I've tried playing around with placing the PI Hole DNS IP in multiple sections WAN,LAN, DNS Filter exclusion and on line 1 , setting the PI hole DNS as secondary under lan and primary as cloud flare.
I'm thinking this has to do something with the fact I have a static IP (which requires me to enter specific subnet/gateway etc to even connect to the internet after a fresh format, but I find it extremely odd that my wifi devices keep getting killed.
I know I rambled a bit but I'm not sure what else to do as I've followed a few different posts. hoping someone would be able to walk me through .

 

[bbunge]

Your static WAN IP has nothing to do with your internal LAN.
The AX86U has a default LAN IP address of 192.168.50.1 Yes, you can change it to something else but it works OK for me and thousands of others.
When you set up your Pi-Hole the Pi will be assigned a static IP address which will be the address the Pi received from DHCP. So, if you want the Pi-Hole to have a specific static I address set it in manually assigned IP addresses before setting up Pi-Hole. I also change the LAN DHCP start address to 192.168.50.10 so I can use the addresses lower than that for static IP's (NAS, cams, NVR, Pi-Hole and etc.)
Once the Pi-Hole is set up add its IP address to LAN/DHCP Server/DNS Server. NOT WAN DNS SERVER 1 or 2. If using DNS Filter give the Pi-Hole unfiltered access.

 

[bennor]

I know I rambled a bit but I'm not sure what else to do as I've followed a few different posts. hoping someone would be able to walk me through .

One example of a general set of directions:
https://www.snbforums.com/threads/pihole-dns.74646/#post-712118

Another post that shows (as an example) how two sections of the router UI are configured for Pi-Hole:
https://www.snbforums.com/threads/pihole-dns.74646/post-712319

One thing you generally don't want to do is use the Pi-Hole in the WAN DNS fields when you have conditional forwarding enabled within the Pi-Hole. Doing so could setup the potential for a feed back loop that ends up flooding the local network with DNS requests which cripples the local network.

If using wifi to connect the Pi-hole device to the router, ensure you don't have the Pi on a guest wifi network and or you don't have client isolation enabled.

Generally setting up a Pi-Hole for use on an Asus router is simple provided one doesn't start tinkering right off the bat. Do the basic setup BEFORE you start tinkering with the settings or adding Unbound into the mix.

 

[BreakingDad]

it auto changes my router IP to 192.168.1.50 instead of default 192.168.1.1

The default ip on an AX86U is 192.168.1.50

 

[taffeys]

The default ip on an AX86U is 192.168.1.50

No it is not. The default IP address of an AX86U is 192.168.50.1.

 

[mrblank]

hi,

Your static WAN IP has nothing to do with your internal LAN.
The AX86U has a default LAN IP address of 192.168.50.1 Yes, you can change it to something else but it works OK for me and thousands of others.
When you set up your Pi-Hole the Pi will be assigned a static IP address which will be the address the Pi received from DHCP. So, if you want the Pi-Hole to have a specific static I address set it in manually assigned IP addresses before setting up Pi-Hole. I also change the LAN DHCP start address to 192.168.50.10 so I can use the addresses lower than that for static IP's (NAS, cams, NVR, Pi-Hole and etc.)
Once the Pi-Hole is set up add its IP address to LAN/DHCP Server/DNS Server. NOT WAN DNS SERVER 1 or 2. If using DNS Filter give the Pi-Hole unfiltered access.

hi, tried all of this and I still have no LAN connectivity and none of my wifi devices appear.

 

[mrblank]

One example of a general set of directions:
https://www.snbforums.com/threads/pihole-dns.74646/#post-712118

Another post that shows (as an example) how two sections of the router UI are configured for Pi-Hole:
https://www.snbforums.com/threads/pihole-dns.74646/post-712319

One thing you generally don't want to do is use the Pi-Hole in the WAN DNS fields when you have conditional forwarding enabled within the Pi-Hole. Doing so could setup the potential for a feed back loop that ends up flooding the local network with DNS requests which cripples the local network.

If using wifi to connect the Pi-hole device to the router, ensure you don't have the Pi on a guest wifi network and or you don't have client isolation enabled.

Generally setting up a Pi-Hole for use on an Asus router is simple provided one doesn't start tinkering right off the bat. Do the basic setup BEFORE you start tinkering with the settings or adding Unbound into the mix.

hi, thanks for this. tried all of this including following posts and still no LAN connection and no wifi devices appear

 

[bennor]

hi, thanks for this. tried all of this including following posts and still no LAN connection and no wifi devices appear

Just to confirm you are only using a AX86u and do not have it configured for AiMesh, or have any additional or nodes/wifi extenders, or AP devices connected to the AX86u. Right?

Couple of suggestions. Post a screen capture of the DNSFilter page that shows your settings. May help others with troubleshooting your settings. Also a screen capture of your DNS page settings on the router may provide additional information to help people troubleshoot your issue.

As a troubleshooting step. If you haven't done so already, do a hard reset on the Asus router.

[Wireless Router] ASUS router Hard Factory Reset - Method 2

ASUS router Hard Factory Reset - Method 2

1. Turn the router off.
2. Press and hold the "WPS" button and turn the router on.
3. Power light is on (keep holding the WPS button).
4. Release the WPS button after the power light is off.
5. Reboot your router by manually pressing the power button.

Do a basic setup and configuration of the router. Use default settings including IP address when possible. Do not include Pi-Hole at this time. Do not enable any extra scripts like AMTM and similar. Get everything working without Pi-Hole device on the local network. Make sure to not enable Set AP Isolated on the Wireless Professional page. Do not enable or use Guest Network WiFi clients at this time. Then, try enabling and configuring the DNSFilter using one of the preset entries and see what happens with your WiFi devices.

If everything continues to work then remove the DNSFIlter entries and turn off DNSFilter. Create a static IP address for the Pi-Hole device. Run though the Pi-Hole setup (pihole -r) and reconfigure it with the stock settings, choose IPv4 DNS servers from the DNS list. Add the Pi-Hole device to the router's LAN DNS field(s). Make sure to set Advertise router's IP in addition to user-specified DNS on the LAN > DHCP Server page to No. Test to ensure Pi-Hole is working properly on all LAN clients.

If it is, then move to the next step of enabling DNSFiltering. Enable Enable DNS-based Filtering. Set Global Filter Mode to Router. Leave all Custom (user-defined) DNS fields blank. Select the Pi-Hole device's Client MAC address from the drop down box. Select No Filtering for the Pi-Hole device Filter Mode. Click the Add/Delete icon. Then select Apply. Then reboot the router and all network clients including the Pi-Hole device and retest with the new settings.

 

[mrblank]

Just to confirm you are only using a AX86u and do not have it configured for AiMesh, or have any additional or nodes/wifi extenders, or AP devices connected to the AX86u. Right?

Couple of suggestions. Post a screen capture of the DNSFilter page that shows your settings. May help others with troubleshooting your settings. Also a screen capture of your DNS page settings on the router may provide additional information to help people troubleshoot your issue.

As a troubleshooting step. If you haven't done so already, do a hard reset on the Asus router.

[Wireless Router] ASUS router Hard Factory Reset - Method 2

ASUS router Hard Factory Reset - Method 2

1. Turn the router off.
2. Press and hold the "WPS" button and turn the router on.
3. Power light is on (keep holding the WPS button).
4. Release the WPS button after the power light is off.
5. Reboot your router by manually pressing the power button.

Do a basic setup and configuration of the router. Use default settings including IP address when possible. Do not include Pi-Hole at this time. Do not enable any extra scripts like AMTM and similar. Get everything working without Pi-Hole device on the local network. Make sure to not enable Set AP Isolated on the Wireless Professional page. Do not enable or use Guest Network WiFi clients at this time. Then, try enabling and configuring the DNSFilter using one of the preset entries and see what happens with your WiFi devices.

If everything continues to work then remove the DNSFIlter entries and turn off DNSFilter. Create a static IP address for the Pi-Hole device. Run though the Pi-Hole setup (pihole -r) and reconfigure it with the stock settings, choose IPv4 DNS servers from the DNS list. Add the Pi-Hole device to the router's LAN DNS field(s). Make sure to set Advertise router's IP in addition to user-specified DNS on the LAN > DHCP Server page to No. Test to ensure Pi-Hole is working properly on all LAN clients.

If it is, then move to the next step of enabling DNSFiltering. Enable Enable DNS-based Filtering. Set Global Filter Mode to Router. Leave all Custom (user-defined) DNS fields blank. Select the Pi-Hole device's Client MAC address from the drop down box. Select No Filtering for the Pi-Hole device Filter Mode. Click the Add/Delete icon. Then select Apply. Then reboot the router and all network clients including the Pi-Hole device and retest with the new settings.

Hard rest, reconfigured PI and running stock settings.
As soon as I set the PI hole address onto the LAN DNS fields , all wifi devices are no longer detected (and my PI is on WIFI) but LAN works.

 

[dave14305]

Hard rest, reconfigured PI and running stock settings.
As soon as I set the PI hole address onto the LAN DNS fields , all wifi devices are no longer detected (and my PI is on WIFI) but LAN works.

Is your Pi really using 192.168.50.51 at that point? Or is it holding on to a previous address? What upstream DNS is the Pi-Hole using?

 

[mrblank]

Is your Pi really using 192.168.50.51 at that point? Or is it holding on to a previous address? What upstream DNS is the Pi-Hole using?

When I installed it via putty and also inside router page it displayed that address so I added it to static portion. cloudflare and previously quad9. Whats really odd to me is why adding PI's address onto DNS as shown it automatically prevents any wifi devices from connecting to the router/being identified but LAN works.

 

[john9527]

Whats really odd to me is why adding PI's address onto DNS as shown it automatically prevents any wifi devices from connecting to the router/being identified but LAN works.

Do you have AP isolation enabled on the wifi network where you are connecting the Pi ?

 

[bennor]

When I installed it via putty and also inside router page it displayed that address so I added it to static portion.

What "static portion"? What does that mean? Where have you "added" it to, what screen/page?
You haven't by chance enabled the DHCP Server within the Pi-Hole Settings have you? If you have, disable it on the Pi-Hole. You have to chose, either have the router handle the DHCP Sever or have the Pi-Hole handle the DHCP Server.

 

[mrblank]

Do you have AP isolation enabled on the wifi network where you are connecting the Pi ?

no, stock settings

 

[mrblank]

What "static portion"? What does that mean? Where have you "added" it to, what screen/page?
You haven't by chance enabled the DHCP Server within the Pi-Hole Settings have you? If you have, disable it on the Pi-Hole. You have to chose, either have the router handle the DHCP Sever or have the Pi-Hole handle the DHCP Server.

I added the PI's mac under LAN/DHCP server/manual ip to create a static ip for it (screenshot) Is that the incorrect spot ? I have not got into the PI hole's admin page so did not enable DHCP.

 

[Clark Griswald]

Pi-Hole Setup
This link has installation guides for standalone or Docker.
I recommend this Griswald Easy Pi-Hole Setup.

 

[bbunge]

hi,

hi, tried all of this and I still have no LAN connectivity and none of my wifi devices appear.

Too bad. I set my Pi up on a fresh install today with Pi-Hole and Unbound. Works swell.
If you are using Merlin firmware only enter the Pi-Hole address in one LAN/DHCP Server/DNS Server. That way your clients can use the router for DNS if the Pi-Hole does not work.
Also spend the bucks for a Pi3 and use it over Ethernet.

 

[bennor]

pi hole zero (wireless and with a static ip)

How was/is the Raspberry Pi setup? What OS are you using on it? Are you using Raspberry Pi OS Lite or some other version? Did you configure the Pi OS itself for a static IP address in addition to configuring the router to manually assign an IP address for the Pi Zero? Is the Pi-Hole installed to a Docker container on the Pi Zero? Are there any other programs installed to the Pi Zero besides the Pi OS and Pi-Hole?

Edit to add: One troubleshooting step on the Pi Zero is to use a micro USB to Ethernet adapter (or a USB OTG cable and a USB to Ethernet adapter), reconfigure Pi-Hole to use the Ethernet adapter and see if the issue persists with the WiFi clients being knocked off line.

 

[dsring]

I did not go with Pi-Hole, but I installed AdGuard Home recently on a Raspberry Pi following this guide:

Raspberry Pi Home Server Episode 12: Install AdGuard Home with MacVLAN - YouTube

AdGuard Home has its own IP Address to prevent any port conflicts. A similar approach would probably work with Pi-Hole.

 

[Clark Griswald]

@mrblank
You are obviously skilled at starting over with your pi & router, so I recommend you use the step-by-step post #16
Less than 6 minutes to install and have running.
Follow what @cptnoblivious states in the next post.