PiHole not blocking ads anymore

[lucas]

Hey,

two days ago I installed PiHole on my Rapsberry Pi 3 and it worked directly.
But now, for some reason, it's no longer blocking ads.

I have found many other topics that have dealt with similar problems, but none has helped me to a solution.

PiHole DNS settings:

These are my FritzBox DNS settings:

nslookup:

pi@raspberrypi:~ $ nslookup pi.hole
Server:		208.67.222.222
Address:	208.67.222.222#53

** server can't find pi.hole: NXDOMAIN

pi@raspberrypi:~ $ nslookup pi.hole 192.168.178.58
Server:		192.168.178.58
Address:	192.168.178.58#53


Name:	pi.hole
Address: 192.168.178.58

Expected Behaviour:

Blocking ads...

Actual Behaviour:

It seems like nothing is blocked.

Debug Token:

https://tricorder.pi-hole.net/n0l5vrnpfk

[Bucking_Horn]

Rule#1, often quoted: Your Pi-hole has to be your only DNS server.
Don't define any other DNS servers, they will get used and by-pass Pi-hole eventually.

Your second nslookup from your RPi shows that Pi-hole is resolving correctly if used.
However, your RPi hosting Pi-hole is not using Pi-hole, which is ok. That's neither wrong nor right, your RPi may use any DNS server, see Correct Resolv.conf entry in pihole 5.11 - #2 by jfb.

If you want to verify your clients are using Pi-hole, run nslookup from a client.

You also have configured a potential DNS loop, having your router sending DNS queries to your upstream Pi-hole, while Pi-hole may send its queries back to your router at 192.168.178.1, as you've defined that as one of Pi-hole's upstream DNS servers. If used, a query will get passed back and forth forever, or until timeout.

It would be preferred if you'd configure Pi-hole as local DNS server as opposed to your current upstream setting, and your FritzBox router does support this.
If you do so, make sure your clients renew their DHCP leases so they will update their DNS server information. Dis- and reconnecting to the network should do the job, or powercycling a device.

For a start, have a look at Pi-Hole und FritzBox Setup Anleitung - #128 by Gert_Chlupaty (assuming you can read German).

[lucas]

@Bucking_Horn

You also have configured a potential DNS loop, having your router sending DNS queries to your upstream Pi-hole, while Pi-hole may send its queries back to your router at 192.168.178.1 , as you've defined that as one of Pi-hole's upstream DNS servers. If used, a query will get passed back and forth forever, or until timeout.

Thanks so much for the quick response!
I think configuring PiHole as local DNS sever solved the problem.
For the moment everything seems to work as it should

Thanks again and keep up the good work!

[lucas]

Ok I got one more question:

When turning the Raspberry Pi off, I can't load any website on my clients.
Is there a way to change that?

[Bucking_Horn]

Don't turn your RPi off.

You've entrusted your RPI with a vital part of your IT infrastructure, it has to run 24/7, or at least when you intend to use it.

The effect of switching it off is the same as switching off your router.

[lucas]

Hm, this is not what I wanted to hear but it's ok So I will keep the RPi running...
Thanks again!