# How to configure router so Pi-Hole protects whole network

**URL:** <https://discourse.pi-hole.net/t/how-to-configure-router-so-pi-hole-protects-whole-network/11820>\
**Category:** Help\
**Created:** [August 13, 2018, 12:31am UTC](https://discourse.pi-hole.net/t/how-to-configure-router-so-pi-hole-protects-whole-network/11820 "2018-08-13T00:31:51Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 10\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![Soydepr](https://discourse-cdn.pi-hole.net/user_avatar/discourse.pi-hole.net/soydepr/32/13023_2.png) [@Soydepr](https://discourse.pi-hole.net/u/Soydepr)\
**Post date:** [August 13, 2018, 12:31am UTC](https://discourse.pi-hole.net/t/how-to-configure-router-so-pi-hole-protects-whole-network/11820/1 "2018-08-13T00:31:51Z")

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Sorry for this simple question but not sure if this is the right place i would set my router to use my pi for dns

Someone please confirm ?  
See screenshot

 ![image](https://discourse.pi-hole.net/uploads/default/original/2X/0/0dd5f840e365bbc138e28a8fd87b6b5cc4915e4a.jpeg)

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**Author:** ![jfb](https://discourse-cdn.pi-hole.net/user_avatar/discourse.pi-hole.net/jfb/32/4332_2.png) [@jfb](https://discourse.pi-hole.net/u/jfb)\
**Post date:** [August 13, 2018, 1:41am UTC](https://discourse.pi-hole.net/t/how-to-configure-router-so-pi-hole-protects-whole-network/11820/2 "2018-08-13T01:41:54Z")

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This may help.

> [@Why should Pi-hole be my only DNS server?](https://discourse.pi-hole.net/t/why-should-pi-hole-be-my-only-dns-server/3376):
>
> Reduced Ad Blocking Capability The main reason you should Pi-hole as your only DNS server is that you will see increased performance in the blocking of ads. If you have two DNS servers (Pi-hole and something else), your network clients may not always query Pi-hole for name resolution. If a query happens to be answered from a non-Pi-hole DNS server, your block lists will not apply (since that DNS server doesn't know about them). All Queries Need To Go Through Pi-hole First Since other DNS serv…

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**Author:** ![jacob.salmela](https://discourse-cdn.pi-hole.net/user_avatar/discourse.pi-hole.net/jacob.salmela/32/8_2.png) [@jacob.salmela](https://discourse.pi-hole.net/u/jacob.salmela)\
**Post date:** [August 13, 2018, 11:00am UTC](https://discourse.pi-hole.net/t/how-to-configure-router-so-pi-hole-protects-whole-network/11820/3 "2018-08-13T11:00:06Z")

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No, you should look for _DHCP Settings_ or _DNS server_. The gateway is not the correct setting as it's meant to be a way in and out of your private network.

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**Author:** ![Soydepr](https://discourse-cdn.pi-hole.net/user_avatar/discourse.pi-hole.net/soydepr/32/13023_2.png) [@Soydepr](https://discourse.pi-hole.net/u/Soydepr)\
**Post date:** [August 13, 2018, 2:45pm UTC](https://discourse.pi-hole.net/t/how-to-configure-router-so-pi-hole-protects-whole-network/11820/4 "2018-08-13T14:45:54Z")

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Seems dhpc settings not in my router  
For dns I have this

 ![image](https://discourse.pi-hole.net/uploads/default/original/2X/e/e20ece490a2ddc6676a8b4a6da94a8af12d89a02.png) ![image](https://discourse.pi-hole.net/uploads/default/original/2X/e/e937d905d2f09775e48711a6bb6b238ce00d3597.png)

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<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![jfb](https://discourse-cdn.pi-hole.net/user_avatar/discourse.pi-hole.net/jfb/32/4332_2.png) [@jfb](https://discourse.pi-hole.net/u/jfb)\
**Post date:** [August 13, 2018, 3:10pm UTC](https://discourse.pi-hole.net/t/how-to-configure-router-so-pi-hole-protects-whole-network/11820/5 "2018-08-13T15:10:57Z")

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Change the setting for "DNS Server" to manual or whatever the option is (you don't want Obtain DNS Servers Automatically).

Then enter the static IP of your Pi-Hole in the first set of blocks. Sometimes (not with all routers), the software requires an entry in the second set of boxes. If that is your case, enter the static IP of the Pi-Hole in those boxes as well.

Save changes, restart the router, renew the DHCP lease on your devices (this will give them the new DNS address of the Pi-Hole). You may have to clear DNS caches on connected clients, depending on the clients).

> [@How do I configure my devices to use Pi-hole as their DNS server?](https://discourse.pi-hole.net/t/how-do-i-configure-my-devices-to-use-pi-hole-as-their-dns-server/245):
>
> Three methods Generally, there are three different methods that will enable devices on your network to be protected by Pi-hole. 1. Define Pi-hole's IP address as the only DNS entry in the router Rationale Only is italicized here for a reason: Pi-hole needs to be the only DNS server because it intercepts queries and decides whether or not they should be blocked. If you have other DNS servers configured, you may be sent to the correct domain, bypassing Pi-hole completely. Because of this, we re…

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**Author:** ![Soydepr](https://discourse-cdn.pi-hole.net/user_avatar/discourse.pi-hole.net/soydepr/32/13023_2.png) [@Soydepr](https://discourse.pi-hole.net/u/Soydepr)\
**Post date:** [August 13, 2018, 10:39pm UTC](https://discourse.pi-hole.net/t/how-to-configure-router-so-pi-hole-protects-whole-network/11820/6 "2018-08-13T22:39:51Z")

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Thanks for your reply

Here is issue .

If i leave second set of boxes empty i get error .

If i put same pihole ip i get error  
If i put in second set of boxes the isp dns ip and in first set of boxes pihole ip i also get error

If i put a local ip in second set of boxes I also get error

 ![image](https://discourse.pi-hole.net/uploads/default/original/2X/4/48bef4cc942ee621f9ddfe4c2d7e0b3c602b4889.jpeg)

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<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![jfb](https://discourse-cdn.pi-hole.net/user_avatar/discourse.pi-hole.net/jfb/32/4332_2.png) [@jfb](https://discourse.pi-hole.net/u/jfb)\
**Post date:** [August 13, 2018, 10:50pm UTC](https://discourse.pi-hole.net/t/how-to-configure-router-so-pi-hole-protects-whole-network/11820/7 "2018-08-13T22:50:16Z")

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If that is an ISP-supplied router, you might be limited in your configuration options.

Do you have an option to turn off DHCP on that router? If so, you might be able to use the Pi-Hole DHCP to bypass the DNS settings on your router. Maybe.

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<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![Soydepr](https://discourse-cdn.pi-hole.net/user_avatar/discourse.pi-hole.net/soydepr/32/13023_2.png) [@Soydepr](https://discourse.pi-hole.net/u/Soydepr)\
**Post date:** [August 19, 2018, 12:08pm UTC](https://discourse.pi-hole.net/t/how-to-configure-router-so-pi-hole-protects-whole-network/11820/8 "2018-08-19T12:08:58Z")

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I wonder if dmz setting does same ?

 ![37%20AM](https://discourse.pi-hole.net/uploads/default/original/2X/4/4fd3d2f304ef24419f6eb489b25a47f2b66ea64d.png)

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<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![jfb](https://discourse-cdn.pi-hole.net/user_avatar/discourse.pi-hole.net/jfb/32/4332_2.png) [@jfb](https://discourse.pi-hole.net/u/jfb)\
**Post date:** [August 19, 2018, 2:40pm UTC](https://discourse.pi-hole.net/t/how-to-configure-router-so-pi-hole-protects-whole-network/11820/9 "2018-08-19T14:40:26Z")

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DMZ is a different setting and typically not something you want to use. This opens up one of your private IP addresses to the internet. Note the "advanced users" in the description.

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**Author:** ![system](https://discourse.pi-hole.net/uploads/default/original/3X/7/c/7c8792f649eeb921c5d2b4c41564ffa873d9a2b8.png) [@system](https://discourse.pi-hole.net/u/system)\
**Post date:** [September 9, 2018, 2:40pm UTC](https://discourse.pi-hole.net/t/how-to-configure-router-so-pi-hole-protects-whole-network/11820/10 "2018-09-09T14:40:29Z")

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