# Help configuring Pi-hole as local DNS server without using its DHCP (using Kea DHCP instead)

**URL:** <https://discourse.pi-hole.net/t/help-configuring-pi-hole-as-local-dns-server-without-using-its-dhcp-using-kea-dhcp-instead/78307>\
**Category:** docker\
**Created:** [March 21, 2025, 10:41am UTC](https://discourse.pi-hole.net/t/help-configuring-pi-hole-as-local-dns-server-without-using-its-dhcp-using-kea-dhcp-instead/78307 "2025-03-21T10:41:47Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 2\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![julien\_sudre](https://discourse-cdn.pi-hole.net/user_avatar/discourse.pi-hole.net/julien_sudre/32/47153_2.png) [@julien\_sudre](https://discourse.pi-hole.net/u/julien_sudre)\
**Post date:** [March 21, 2025, 10:41am UTC](https://discourse.pi-hole.net/t/help-configuring-pi-hole-as-local-dns-server-without-using-its-dhcp-using-kea-dhcp-instead/78307/1 "2025-03-21T10:41:48Z")

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Hi everyone,

I need help configuring Pi-hole to continue acting as a local DNS server **without** enabling its DHCP server.

In my setup:

- I'm using **Kea DHCP** as my DHCP server.
- My local domain is properly defined in Kea (e.g., `home.local`).
- Pi-hole has a **static IP address** that is within the IP range managed by Kea.
- I want Pi-hole to correctly resolve local hostnames (provided via Kea) and still function as the main DNS server for all clients on the network.

What’s the best way to make Pi-hole aware of the hostnames and IPs provided by Kea, without using Pi-hole’s built-in DHCP?

Any advice on how to set this up correctly is much appreciated!

Thanks in advance!

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**Author:** ![Bucking\_Horn](https://discourse-cdn.pi-hole.net/user_avatar/discourse.pi-hole.net/bucking_horn/32/18719_2.png) [@Bucking\_Horn](https://discourse.pi-hole.net/u/Bucking_Horn)\
**Post date:** [March 21, 2025, 10:49am UTC](https://discourse.pi-hole.net/t/help-configuring-pi-hole-as-local-dns-server-without-using-its-dhcp-using-kea-dhcp-instead/78307/2 "2025-03-21T10:49:29Z")

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> [@julien\_sudre](#):
>
> - My local domain is properly defined in Kea (e.g., `home.local`).

You should note that `.local` is the TLD reserved for the [mDNS protocol](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Multicast_DNS), and should not be used with plain DNS.

> [@julien\_sudre](#):
>
> What’s the best way to make Pi-hole aware of the hostnames and IPs provided by Kea

That's what Pi-hole's _Conditional Forwarding_ is for.  
It is available in _Expert_ mode only, and you'll find that section at [_Settings | DNS_](http://pi.hole/admin/settings/dns).

This will only work if KEA would inject hostnames in a co-located internal DNS server.

You can verify if that's the case by querying your KEA's IP for a hostname you expect it to know, e.g.

```auto
nslookup <hostname> <KEA.IP>

```

Substitute `<hostname>` and `<KEA.IP>` as required.