Pi-hole status is enable but not blocking adds

[Gaurav_Dhar]

Please follow the below template, it will help us to help you!

Expected Behaviour:

Should block adds when the DNS is set as the IP of rasbberry pi. Even with pi-hole running its not blocking adds

Actual Behaviour:

sometimes block adds most of the time doesn't

Debug Token:

mb4mmnjeim

[deHakkelaar]

@Gaurav_Dhar

sometimes block adds most of the time doesn’t

Sounds like your clients have a secondary DNS server configured alongside Pi-Hole resulting in sometimes ads not being blocked because the other DNS server is asked for resolution who doesnt know of any blacklists ?

Why should Pi-hole be my only DNS server?

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 se…

Check DNS servers assigned on clients with (for Windows):

ipconfig /all

And for Linux clients:

cat /etc/resolv.conf

[Gaurav_Dhar]

@deHakkelaar

Sounds like your clients have a secondary DNS server configured alongside Pi-Hole resulting in sometimes ads not being blocked because the other DNS server is asked for resolution who doesnt know of any blacklists ?

Why should Pi-hole be my only DNS server? FAQs

pi@pi-server:/etc/pihole $ cat /etc/resolv.conf

Generated by resolvconf

nameserver 127.0.0.1

[Gaurav_Dhar]

sorry I am very new to Linux. But just to let you know I have a mail router provided by my ISP and then I have my apple time machine to extend my network. I have configured both with my raspberry pi IP adderss as primary DNS server.

[deHakkelaar]

@Gaurav_Dhar

pi@pi-server:/etc/pihole $ cat /etc/resolv.conf

Generated by resolvconf
nameserver 127.0.0.1

Thats from Pi-hole (server) and not from the clients ?

[Gaurav_Dhar]

@deHakkelaar

cat /etc/resolv.conf

Sorry about that here:
MacBook-Pro:~ gmac$ cat /etc/resolv.conf

Mac OS X Notice

This file is not used by the host name and address resolution

or the DNS query routing mechanisms used by most processes on

this Mac OS X system.

This file is automatically generated.

nameserver 192.168.1.1 # router address
nameserver 192.168.1.12 # pi-hole

[deHakkelaar]

@Gaurav_Dhar

nameserver 192.168.1.1

nameserver 192.168.1.12

That shows you have two DNS servers configured on the clients causing ads to leak through.
You need to remove the secondary DNS server IP 192.168.1.1 (I presume this is your router)) from your DHCP settings on router on the DHCP client/LAN page.

EDIT: After you changed DHCP settings, the DHCP lease on the clients need to renew.
You can do that by disconnecting/reconnecting network on clients or reboot.
And check again on client:

cat /etc/resolv.conf

[Gaurav_Dhar]

@deHakkelaar

ipconfig /all

I thought if I configure the DNS server on my router, it'll automatically block all ads on my network, is it not true? Do i have to manually assign DNS server on every device on network?

[Gaurav_Dhar]

@deHakkelaar

you

Sorry I didn't see your last comment. I'll reboot

[deHakkelaar]

@Gaurav_Dhar

I thought if I configure the DNS server on my router, it’ll automatically block all ads on my network, is it not true?

Not true if your clients have two DNS servers configured/assigned as explained before.

@Gaurav_Dhar

Do i have to manually assign DNS server on every device on network?

No.
This can be done using DHCP on the router or Pi-hole.

[Gaurav_Dhar]

Thank you this solved my issue. After renewing the lease everything works perfectly.

[deHakkelaar]

Below one on client is only displaying Pi-hole IP address now ?

cat /etc/resolv.conf