Homebridge issues with pihole "Failed to check for Node.js version updates"

[matt777]

I am using Homebridge for my smart home on the same device as pihole. Pihole works in my setup as the one and only dns (unbound) and dhcp server.

Since im using pihole, i'll get this messages in my homebridge log:

[2/2/2022, 8:25:09 AM] [Homebridge UI] Failed to check for Node.js version updates - check your internet connection.
[2/2/2022, 8:25:09 AM] [Homebridge UI] [npm] Failed to check registry.npmjs.org for updates: "getaddrinfo EAI_AGAIN registry.npmjs.org" - see https://git.io/JJSz6 for help.
[2/2/2022, 8:25:14 AM] [Homebridge UI] [homebridge] Failed to check registry.npmjs.org for updates: "getaddrinfo EAI_AGAIN registry.npmjs.org" - see https://git.io/JJSz6 for help.
[2/2/2022, 8:25:19 AM] [Homebridge UI] [@tuyapi/homebridge-plugin] Failed to check registry.npmjs.org for updates: "getaddrinfo EAI_AGAIN registry.npmjs.org" - see https://git.io/JJSz6 for help.
[2/2/2022, 8:25:19 AM] [Homebridge UI] [homebridge-airrohr] Failed to check registry.npmjs.org for updates: "getaddrinfo EAI_AGAIN registry.npmjs.org" - see https://git.io/JJSz6 for help.
[2/2/2022, 8:25:24 AM] [Homebridge UI] [homebridge-dummy] Failed to check registry.npmjs.org for updates: "timeout of 10000ms exceeded" - see https://git.io/JJSz6 for help.
[2/2/2022, 8:25:24 AM] [Homebridge UI] [homebridge-esphome-ts] Failed to check registry.npmjs.org for updates: "timeout of 10000ms exceeded" - see https://git.io/JJSz6 for help.
[2/2/2022, 8:25:29 AM] [Homebridge UI] [homebridge-fritz] Failed to check registry.npmjs.org for updates: "timeout of 10000ms exceeded" - see https://git.io/JJSz6 for help.
[2/2/2022, 8:25:29 AM] [Homebridge UI] [homebridge-hue] Failed to check registry.npmjs.org for updates: "timeout of 10000ms exceeded" - see https://git.io/JJSz6 for help.
[2/2/2022, 8:25:34 AM] [Homebridge UI] [homebridge-octoprint] Failed to check registry.npmjs.org for updates: "getaddrinfo EAI_AGAIN registry.npmjs.org" - see https://git.io/JJSz6 for help.
[2/2/2022, 8:25:34 AM] [Homebridge UI] [homebridge-mqttthing] Failed to check registry.npmjs.org for updates: "timeout of 10000ms exceeded" - see https://git.io/JJSz6 for help.
[2/2/2022, 8:25:39 AM] [Homebridge UI] [homebridge-philips-android-tv] Failed to check registry.npmjs.org for updates: "timeout of 10000ms exceeded" - see https://git.io/JJSz6 for help.
[2/2/2022, 8:25:39 AM] [Homebridge UI] [homebridge-plex-webhooks] Failed to check registry.npmjs.org for updates: "getaddrinfo EAI_AGAIN registry.npmjs.org" - see https://git.io/JJSz6 for help.
[2/2/2022, 8:25:44 AM] [Homebridge UI] [homebridge-tplink-smarthome] Failed to check registry.npmjs.org for updates: "getaddrinfo EAI_AGAIN registry.npmjs.org" - see https://git.io/JJSz6 for help.
[2/2/2022, 8:25:44 AM] [Homebridge UI] [homebridge-tuya-lan] Failed to check registry.npmjs.org for updates: "getaddrinfo EAI_AGAIN registry.npmjs.org" - see https://git.io/JJSz6 for help.
[2/2/2022, 8:25:49 AM] [Homebridge UI] [homebridge-yeelighter] Failed to check registry.npmjs.org for updates: "timeout of 10000ms exceeded" - see https://git.io/JJSz6 for help.
[2/2/2022, 8:25:49 AM] [Homebridge UI] [homebridge-config-ui-x] Failed to check registry.npmjs.org for updates: "getaddrinfo EAI_AGAIN registry.npmjs.org" - see https://git.io/JJSz6 for help.

We can see a lot of getaddrinfo EAI_AGAIN and timeout. Now lets go to the page https://git.io/JJSz6:

• getaddrinfo - your DNS resolver could not resolve registry.npmjs.org . Check your internet connection and DNS settings.
• ETIMEDOUT or Timeout - the request took to long, the npm registry may be down, slow, or you may have internet issues, check https://status.npmjs.org/.

Ok, DNS (Pihole) is the problem, because
1.) i only go this problem since pihole (never had this before with homebridge)
2.) most important: https://status.npmjs.org/ shows All Systems Operational

How can i fix this in pihole?

[Bucking_Horn]

Please upload a debug log and post just the token URL that is generated after the log is uploaded by running the following command from the Pi-hole host terminal:

pihole -d

or do it through the Web interface:

Tools > Generate Debug Log

[matt777]

https://tricorder.pi-hole.net/1z9Jdndq/

[Bucking_Horn]

Your debug log shows your Pi-hole to be operational, even if it contains a few irregularities.

We can return to them later, but let's try to address your immediate issue first.

@matt777

I am using Homebridge for my smart home on the same device as pihole.

Is Homebridge also running in a Docker container?

From your debug log, it isn't apparent whether your Homebridge would use Pi-hole for DNS.

If you are currently still seeing those Homebridge failure messages, does your Pi-hole list the corresponding DNS requests for registry.npmjs.org in its Query Log?

If the last Homebridge failure message appeared more than 24 hours, you may search Pi-hole's logs by running

grep -nm 1 registry.npmjs.org /var/log/pihole.log*

from within your Pi-hole container.

[matt777]

Yes, homebridge also runs in a docker Container on the same device where pihole runs in a docker container.

Also homebridge still produces those outputs in the log files 24/7. I can’t find those requests in the query log of pihole.

[Bucking_Horn]

So far, your findings do not support Pi-hole would be currently involved.

@matt777

I can’t find those requests in the query log of pihole.

The absence of those requests in Pi-hole's Query Log during the same time frame they are appearing in your Homebridge log strongly suggests that those requests never make it to your Pi-hole.

This could happen for several reasons, e.g. because your Homebridge isn't using Pi-hole for DNS, or outbound DNS requests for your your Homebridge are blocked, or Pi-hole isn't listening on the interface or IP that Docker routes the DNS requests through.

For the latter, you could try whether setting Pi-hole's listening behaviour to Permit all origins would get you working, but you should also verify your Homebridge's DNS configuration.

You could also verify DNS resolution through a specific DNS server by running

nslookup registry.npmjs.org <ipaddress>

where you replace <ipaddress> with either your Pi-hole's or your router's private address, or a public DNS server address (e.g. the one your router is using, if any).
Run those commands both from within your Homebridge container as well as from a normal client.

Pi-hole's default blocklists do not contain registry.npmjs.org, but to be safe for your setup, you will know if your Pi-hole would be blocking that domain once you run the corresponding nslookup through Pi-hole. To that end, you could also use Tools | Query Lists.