DNS Director- 2nd DNS server - Feature request

[p1r473]

Hi all,
I have 2 PiHoles running, a primary and a secondary for backup
Ive been using them well as the LAN and WAN DNS entries.
I want to start using DNS Director, but of course the interface allows only one direction per host
This is a feature request to allow 2 DNS directions per host - primary and a backup.

Thanks!

 

[ColinTaylor]

Not possible because of the way DNS Director works.

 

[bennor]

I have 2 PiHoles running, a primary and a secondary for backup
Ive been using them well as the LAN and WAN DNS entries.
I want to start using DNS Director, but of course the interface allows only one direction per host
This is a feature request to allow 2 DNS directions per host - primary and a backup.

Not sure what you are attempting to accomplish there. It should be noted Pi-Hole themselves do not recommend using Pi-Hole for the WAN DNS entries (see this link) even though Asus may suggest it on their support pages.

One way to use DNS Director with Pi-Hole is explained in the following post:
https://www.snbforums.com/threads/pihole-dns.74646/page-3#post-712319

This setup, as I understand it, allows LAN/WiFi clients, which have Pi-Hole(s) assigned as their DNS servers, to use both Pi-Hole's while at the same time redirecting (through DNS Director) any client that attempts to use a different DNS value to be forced back to the Pi-Hole for resolution.

 

[p1r473]

@bennor but what if the primary PiHole goes down?
Im requesting the ability to have a secondary DNS (a second PiHole), and still be able to use DNS Director

 

[ColinTaylor]

@bennor but what if the primary PiHole goes down?
Im requesting the ability to have a secondary DNS (a second PiHole), and still be able to use DNS Director

As I said in post #2, this is not possible because of the way DNS director works. It uses iptables to intercept outgoing DNS packets and changes the destination address to something different. There can only be one destination address on a packet therefore it is impossible for DNS Director to do what you're asking.

 

[p1r473]

As I said in post #2, this is not possible because of the way DNS director works. It uses iptables to intercept outgoing DNS packets and changes the destination address to something different. There can only be one destination address on a packet therefore it is impossible for DNS Director to do what you're asking.

Thank you for clarification!

 

[bennor]

@bennor but what if the primary PiHole goes down?
Im requesting the ability to have a secondary DNS (a second PiHole), and still be able to use DNS Director

In my case the secondary Pi-Hole takes over (or should take over). I assign the Pi-Hole IP addresses to the network clients via the LAN > DHCP Server > DNS and WINS Server Setting's DNS fields. (ETA: Like the Pi-Hole documentation suggests.) And I make sure to set Advertise router's IP in addition to user-specified DNS to No. Failure to do this last step means DNS requests could potentially bypass the Pi-Hole's.

 

[p1r473]

In my case the secondary Pi-Hole takes over (or should take over). I assign the Pi-Hole IP addresses to the network clients via the LAN > DHCP Server > DNS and WINS Server Setting's DNS fields. (ETA: Like the Pi-Hole documentation suggests.) And I make sure to set Advertise router's IP in addition to user-specified DNS to No. Failure to do this last step means DNS requests could potentially bypass the Pi-Hole's.

So youre not using DNS Director then?

 

[bennor]

So youre not using DNS Director then?

I am using DNS Director. As I posted above, one example of using Pi-Holes with DNS Director.
https://www.snbforums.com/threads/pihole-dns.74646/page-3#post-712319