Pi-hole Setup Guide

This guide will help you configure Pi-hole to use the UK DNS Privacy Project’s public DNS resolvers, enhancing your network’s privacy and security.

Prerequisites

• A working Pi-hole installation.
• Access to the Pi-hole Admin Interface.
• Basic knowledge of SSH or terminal access if required.

Step 1: Access the Pi-hole Admin Interface

1. Open a web browser and go to the Pi-hole admin panel:

   http://pi.hole/admin
   

   or use your Pi-hole’s IP address, e.g., http://192.168.1.2/admin.

2. Log in using your administrator credentials.

Step 2: Update Upstream DNS Servers

1. In the Admin Interface, go to Settings > DNS.
2. Under Upstream DNS Servers, deselect any default options.
3. Enter the UK DNS Privacy Project’s resolvers manually:
   • Primary Server: 209.250.227.42
   • Secondary Server: 64.176.190.82
4. Click Save to apply the changes.

Step 3: Enable DNS over HTTPS (DoH) or DNS over TLS (DoT) (Optional)

For encrypted DNS resolution, you can configure dnscrypt-proxy, or Unbound alongside Pi-hole.

Step 4: Flush DNS Cache and Test

To apply changes immediately:

pihole restartdns

Visit the UK DNS Project homepage to verify that your system is using the configured DNS.

Troubleshooting

• Ensure Pi-hole is not using any other upstream DNS resolvers.
• Restart your router if changes are not taking effect.
• Check logs in the Pi-hole admin panel under Query Log.

For more assistance, visit our Getting Help page.