I'm willing to pay someone to walk me through the pihole setup

Help
25

Why share that compose file then?
My request was:

From your recent reply, it would seem you tried to start Pi-hole via a docker run script:

As mentioned before, your debug log indicates that you do not run a Docker Pi-hole container at all, but a bare metal installation on top of an Ubuntu distro:

*** [ DIAGNOSING ]: Operating system
[✓] Distro:  Ubuntu
[✓] Version: 24.04

This implies that
a. your above Docker command was never run at all, or never succeeded.
b. the Pi-hole creating the debug log must have been installed by other means than Docker, likely by creating an Ubuntu VM on Win10 and following normal Pi-hole installation procedures.

This means that none of the docker related commands for a Pi-hole container will work in your environment, as that container doesn't exist (yet).

If you installed that Ubuntu VM before your docker attempts, then this could explain why your docker run script doesn't work, since the required ports may have already been claimed by the VM.

The good news is that apparently you already have a Pi-hole running somewhere.

Before we continue:
Would you like to analyse that already running VM based Pi-hole, or would you prefer to switch to a Docker based Pi-hole first?

26

Is it better one way over the other? I don't have a preference but it sounds like the shortest distance to the finish line would be to analyse the Pi-hole that is already running. Thank you so much.

27

Your choice. :wink:

In case you opt for the existing Pi-hole:
Some day in the future, you would have to update the OS that Pi-hole is running on.
If you remember how you have installed Pi-hole, that shouldn't be a big issue, but could be if you don't.

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Docker can be tougher to troubleshoot or harder to setup if you have extra needs bc of the extra abstract layer(s) used to run a container.
But most often easier and quicker to setup via Docker compared to installing something bare-metal or in a VM.
At least thats my experience as a Docker n00b :wink:

29

Specially if you are trying to run Pi-hole in Docker Desktop (Windows/MacOS).

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Thank you for this information. Despite being college educated, I'm starting to feel really, really stupid. (I'm sure there's a moderator out there reading this yelling at their computer "because you are!!) I still just don't understand. I thought I was being offered help when someone asked me what I wanted to do, but apparently I picked the wrong option.

If I buy a raspberry pi, will I still have to do all this configuration and script running. It seems maybe Pihole isn't for the general public. It feels like you are all part of a special group and I'm too dumb to join the club. I've wasted so much time sitting in front of my computer trying to figure this out and waiting for help. Can someone please just tell me what I need to do and point in the direction that will help me do it.

I'm not married to Docker Desktop. I also have Ubuntu running from the microsoft store. There isn't one thing I can't change about the way I'm trying to set this up. Please, can you just tell me the best and easiest way to set up pihole to block ads on my roku tv. Again, I'm willing to pay anybody who is willing to help with out patronizing the hell out of me.

31

Please, can you just tell me the best and easiest way to set up pihole to block ads on my roku tv.

I can't answer that because I don't use roku tv.
I really don't know which lists will block the ads you want to block (I don't even know if Pi-hole can effectively block roku ads... You will need to search).

I think your biggest issue is trying to run Pi-hole inside Windows.

In my personal opinion, using Docker Desktop is the most complex (and frustrating) alternative. You need to deal with a docker container, running inside a Virtual Machine (used by Docker Desktop), running inside Windows and understand how one layer communicates with the others.

I'm also not sure if running directly in WSL(Ubuntu from MS store) will work. I never tried.

Don't get me wrong... I use Windows every day, but not for Pi-hole.

I have 2 suggestions:

  1. Maybe you can try to install Linux in another device. I think you will be running Pi-hole a lot easier.
  2. Don't give up. No one here said you are stupid (only yourself, but this is just frustration).
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If your only need is to block roku ads and thats it, see if this article from Life Hacker helps. it discusses how to turn off adds in the roku itself. The article is from 2023 so whether it still works or not is unknown. I don't use Roku but if its your only need then its worth trying.

33

@Trisha

I'm coming in a bit late in the game here, but if you are not wedded to using Docker on a Windows PC, I find the easiest way to get started with Pi-hole is to host in on a Raspberry Pi. In case you're not familiar with the Raspberry Pi, it is basically a micro computer that runs Raspberry Pi OS ... an Debian Linux variant. Of course, if you like "pain" you can still create Docker containers on the Pi, but it would be completely unnecessary.

For Pi-hole a Raspberry Pi Zero 2W would be more than adequate and I would be happy to take you through the steps in setting one up for your network. You can find out more about the Raspberry Pi from its source: https://www.raspberrypi.com/

Also an excellent resource for learning about how to use them, and not only for Pi-hole, would be from here: https://raspberrytips.com/

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You didn't pick an option yet.

From your description, it would seem that you weren't aware that you did not install Pi-hole as a container under Docker Desktop for Windows.
You've got a running Pi-hole somewhere in your environment, but contrary to what you've described, it is running on some Ubuntu OS.

At some point in the future, that OS will be retired, and you'd then need to upgrade it in order to continue updating Pi-hole.

To be prepared for that upgrade, do you recall how you installed that Ubuntu OS, and how you installed Pi-hole on it?

If yes, then we could continue to analyse the existing installation.

35

EDIT: Oh my and Bucks post above crossed/posted at about the same time!

Dont worry, I feel stupid all the time :wink:
Its just that the matter is extensive with all the technologies involved.
It cant be explained by just a few words or making decisions for you.
A good start for understanding a little more are the excellent docs:

I agree that having Pi-hole running in Docker thats nested in an Ubuntu VM which again is nested on a Windows hosts is a bad choice.

Before purchasing anything, that Virtualbox under Windows is a good start to try things out first and get familiar with Pi-hole.
Below is a nice guide to install latest Debian Bookworm under Virtualbox.
I recommend Debian over Ubuntu because Ubuntu comes with netplan.io which adds another abstract layer for configuring networking ... KISS.

Also whats imported in below guide at "Step 10: Selected Software Installation" is to select only "SSH server" and "standard system utilities" to be installed.
Uncheck the others as you dont need them and bc of KISS!

Also "Step 12: Post Installation Setup" isnt necessary at the moment and is of later concern.
The VM will boot up with a shell login instead of a desktop anyway.

Once you have that one up and running, try test networking by installing and connecting via SSH using Putty on your Windows host:

Once you have that one connected, run below one (copy paste to Putty) and post output here so we can guide you to finishing of the Debian install and start setting up Pi-hole?

nmcli -t -f name con show --active | xargs -d '\n' -n 1 nmcli -p -f ipv4.method,ip4.address,ip4.dns,ip6.dns connection show

If with above an IP6.DNS server is displayed, redact the latter part for privacy!

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