# Unbound starts failing when I set pi.hole to use it?

**URL:** <https://discourse.pi-hole.net/t/unbound-starts-failing-when-i-set-pi-hole-to-use-it/52684>\
**Category:** Community Help\
**Created:** [January 15, 2022, 5:43pm UTC](https://discourse.pi-hole.net/t/unbound-starts-failing-when-i-set-pi-hole-to-use-it/52684 "2022-01-15T17:43:24Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 8\
**Page:** 1

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![Norlig](https://discourse-cdn.pi-hole.net/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/n/e9c0ed/32.png) [@Norlig](https://discourse.pi-hole.net/u/Norlig)\
**Post date:** [January 15, 2022, 5:43pm UTC](https://discourse.pi-hole.net/t/unbound-starts-failing-when-i-set-pi-hole-to-use-it/52684/1 "2022-01-15T17:43:24Z")

</div>

**The issue I am facing:**  
After activating unbound and setting the DNS Server in pi.hole to use Custom Upstream DNS Server to: 127.0.0.1#5335, it starts to get serverfail, even from SSH

**Details about my system:**  
Raspberry Pi 1B 512MB  
Latest Raspberry Pi OS from [https://www.raspberrypi.com/software/](https://www.raspberrypi.com/software/)

**What I have changed since installing Pi-hole:**  
Added some adlists first.  
then installed Unbound, following this guide:

> **[unbound - Pi-hole documentation](https://docs.pi-hole.net/guides/dns/unbound/)**

Notes:  
`/etc/unbound/unbound.conf.d/pi-hole.conf` is identic to the example file  
ran the root.hints command, as I noticed that was missing at first  
Have restarted services

Tests:  
With 127.0.0.1#5335as DNS Server in pi.hole:

```auto
dig facebook.com @127.0.0.1 -p 5335

; <<>> DiG 9.16.22-Raspbian <<>> facebook.com @127.0.0.1 -p 5335
;; global options: +cmd
;; Got answer:
;; ->>HEADER<<- opcode: QUERY, status: SERVFAIL, id: 24804
;; flags: qr rd ra; QUERY: 1, ANSWER: 0, AUTHORITY: 0, ADDITIONAL: 1

;; OPT PSEUDOSECTION:
; EDNS: version: 0, flags:; udp: 1232
;; QUESTION SECTION:
;facebook.com. IN A

;; Query time: 19 msec
;; SERVER: 127.0.0.1#5335(127.0.0.1)
;; WHEN: Sat Jan 15 18:25:01 CET 2022
;; MSG SIZE rcvd: 41

dig itavisen.no @127.0.0.1 -p 5335

; <<>> DiG 9.16.22-Raspbian <<>> itavisen.no @127.0.0.1 -p 5335
;; global options: +cmd
;; Got answer:
;; ->>HEADER<<- opcode: QUERY, status: SERVFAIL, id: 55906
;; flags: qr rd ra; QUERY: 1, ANSWER: 0, AUTHORITY: 0, ADDITIONAL: 1

;; OPT PSEUDOSECTION:
; EDNS: version: 0, flags:; udp: 1232
;; QUESTION SECTION:
;itavisen.no. IN A

;; Query time: 3309 msec
;; SERVER: 127.0.0.1#5335(127.0.0.1)
;; WHEN: Sat Jan 15 18:24:26 CET 2022
;; MSG SIZE rcvd: 40

dig twitter.com @127.0.0.1 -p 5335

; <<>> DiG 9.16.22-Raspbian <<>> twitter.com @127.0.0.1 -p 5335
;; global options: +cmd
;; Got answer:
;; ->>HEADER<<- opcode: QUERY, status: SERVFAIL, id: 62526
;; flags: qr rd ra; QUERY: 1, ANSWER: 0, AUTHORITY: 0, ADDITIONAL: 1

;; OPT PSEUDOSECTION:
; EDNS: version: 0, flags:; udp: 1232
;; QUESTION SECTION:
;twitter.com. IN A

;; Query time: 3869 msec
;; SERVER: 127.0.0.1#5335(127.0.0.1)
;; WHEN: Sat Jan 15 18:42:31 CET 2022
;; MSG SIZE rcvd: 40

```

With 1.1.1.1 and 8.8.8.8 as DNS Servers in pi.hole:

```auto
 dig facebook.com @127.0.0.1 -p 5335

; <<>> DiG 9.16.22-Raspbian <<>> facebook.com @127.0.0.1 -p 5335
;; global options: +cmd
;; Got answer:
;; ->>HEADER<<- opcode: QUERY, status: NOERROR, id: 60678
;; flags: qr rd ra; QUERY: 1, ANSWER: 1, AUTHORITY: 0, ADDITIONAL: 1

;; OPT PSEUDOSECTION:
; EDNS: version: 0, flags:; udp: 1232
;; QUESTION SECTION:
;facebook.com. IN A

;; ANSWER SECTION:
facebook.com. 0 IN A 31.13.72.36

;; Query time: 89 msec
;; SERVER: 127.0.0.1#5335(127.0.0.1)
;; WHEN: Sat Jan 15 18:27:18 CET 2022
;; MSG SIZE rcvd: 57

dig itavisen.no @127.0.0.1 -p 5335

; <<>> DiG 9.16.22-Raspbian <<>> itavisen.no @127.0.0.1 -p 5335
;; global options: +cmd
;; Got answer:
;; ->>HEADER<<- opcode: QUERY, status: NOERROR, id: 20066
;; flags: qr rd ra; QUERY: 1, ANSWER: 3, AUTHORITY: 0, ADDITIONAL: 1

;; OPT PSEUDOSECTION:
; EDNS: version: 0, flags:; udp: 1232
;; QUESTION SECTION:
;itavisen.no. IN A

;; ANSWER SECTION:
itavisen.no. 300 IN A 104.22.35.180
itavisen.no. 300 IN A 172.67.40.115
itavisen.no. 300 IN A 104.22.34.180

;; Query time: 89 msec
;; SERVER: 127.0.0.1#5335(127.0.0.1)
;; WHEN: Sat Jan 15 18:39:54 CET 2022
;; MSG SIZE rcvd: 88

dig pi-hole.net @127.0.0.1 -p 5335

; <<>> DiG 9.16.22-Raspbian <<>> pi-hole.net @127.0.0.1 -p 5335
;; global options: +cmd
;; Got answer:
;; ->>HEADER<<- opcode: QUERY, status: NOERROR, id: 41976
;; flags: qr rd ra ad; QUERY: 1, ANSWER: 1, AUTHORITY: 0, ADDITIONAL: 1

;; OPT PSEUDOSECTION:
; EDNS: version: 0, flags:; udp: 1232
;; QUESTION SECTION:
;pi-hole.net. IN A

;; ANSWER SECTION:
pi-hole.net. 300 IN A 3.18.136.52

;; Query time: 79 msec
;; SERVER: 127.0.0.1#5335(127.0.0.1)
;; WHEN: Sat Jan 15 18:40:12 CET 2022
;; MSG SIZE rcvd: 56

```

---

<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:** [January 15, 2022, 6:32pm UTC](https://discourse.pi-hole.net/t/unbound-starts-failing-when-i-set-pi-hole-to-use-it/52684/2 "2022-01-15T18:32:01Z")

</div>

What is the output of the following command from the Pi terminal?

`sudo grep -v '#\|^$' -R /etc/unbound/unbound.conf*`

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![Norlig](https://discourse-cdn.pi-hole.net/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/n/e9c0ed/32.png) [@Norlig](https://discourse.pi-hole.net/u/Norlig)\
**Post date:** [January 15, 2022, 7:06pm UTC](https://discourse.pi-hole.net/t/unbound-starts-failing-when-i-set-pi-hole-to-use-it/52684/3 "2022-01-15T19:06:14Z")

</div>

> [@jfb](#):
>
> sudo grep -v '#|^$' -R /etc/unbound/unbound.conf\*

```auto

pi@raspberrypi:/etc/dnsmasq.d $ sudo grep -v '#\|^$' -R /etc/unbound/unbound.conf*
/etc/unbound/unbound.conf:include-toplevel: "/etc/unbound/unbound.conf.d/*.conf"
/etc/unbound/unbound.conf.d/root-auto-trust-anchor-file.conf:server:
/etc/unbound/unbound.conf.d/root-auto-trust-anchor-file.conf: auto-trust-anchor-file: "/var/lib/unbound/root.key"
/etc/unbound/unbound.conf.d/pi-hole.conf:server:
/etc/unbound/unbound.conf.d/pi-hole.conf: verbosity: 0
/etc/unbound/unbound.conf.d/pi-hole.conf: interface: 127.0.0.1
/etc/unbound/unbound.conf.d/pi-hole.conf: port: 5335
/etc/unbound/unbound.conf.d/pi-hole.conf: do-ip4: yes
/etc/unbound/unbound.conf.d/pi-hole.conf: do-udp: yes
/etc/unbound/unbound.conf.d/pi-hole.conf: do-tcp: yes
/etc/unbound/unbound.conf.d/pi-hole.conf: do-ip6: no
/etc/unbound/unbound.conf.d/pi-hole.conf: prefer-ip6: no
/etc/unbound/unbound.conf.d/pi-hole.conf: harden-glue: yes
/etc/unbound/unbound.conf.d/pi-hole.conf: harden-dnssec-stripped: yes
/etc/unbound/unbound.conf.d/pi-hole.conf: use-caps-for-id: no
/etc/unbound/unbound.conf.d/pi-hole.conf: edns-buffer-size: 1232
/etc/unbound/unbound.conf.d/pi-hole.conf: prefetch: yes
/etc/unbound/unbound.conf.d/pi-hole.conf: num-threads: 1
/etc/unbound/unbound.conf.d/pi-hole.conf: so-rcvbuf: 1m
/etc/unbound/unbound.conf.d/pi-hole.conf: private-address: 192.168.0.0/16
/etc/unbound/unbound.conf.d/pi-hole.conf: private-address: 169.254.0.0/16
/etc/unbound/unbound.conf.d/pi-hole.conf: private-address: 172.16.0.0/12
/etc/unbound/unbound.conf.d/pi-hole.conf: private-address: 10.0.0.0/8
/etc/unbound/unbound.conf.d/pi-hole.conf: private-address: fd00::/8
/etc/unbound/unbound.conf.d/pi-hole.conf: private-address: fe80::/10
/etc/unbound/unbound.conf.d/resolvconf_resolvers.conf:forward-zone:
/etc/unbound/unbound.conf.d/resolvconf_resolvers.conf: name: "."
/etc/unbound/unbound.conf.d/resolvconf_resolvers.conf: forward-addr: 192.168.10.1

```

---

<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:** [January 15, 2022, 7:26pm UTC](https://discourse.pi-hole.net/t/unbound-starts-failing-when-i-set-pi-hole-to-use-it/52684/4 "2022-01-15T19:26:46Z")

</div>

> [@Norlig](#):
>
> ```auto
> /etc/unbound/unbound.conf.d/resolvconf_resolvers.conf:forward-zone:
> /etc/unbound/unbound.conf.d/resolvconf_resolvers.conf: name: "."
> /etc/unbound/unbound.conf.d/resolvconf_resolvers.conf: forward-addr: 192.168.10.1
> 
> ```

This is your problem. All your unbound DNS queries are being forwarded to your router.

1. Edit file `/etc/resolvconf.conf` and comment out the last line which should read:

`unbound_conf=/etc/unbound/unbound.conf.d/resolvconf_resolvers.conf`

1. Delete the unwanted unbound configuration file:

`sudo rm /etc/unbound/unbound.conf.d/resolvconf_resolvers.conf`

1. Restart unbound:

`sudo service unbound restart`

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![Norlig](https://discourse-cdn.pi-hole.net/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/n/e9c0ed/32.png) [@Norlig](https://discourse.pi-hole.net/u/Norlig)\
**Post date:** [January 15, 2022, 7:54pm UTC](https://discourse.pi-hole.net/t/unbound-starts-failing-when-i-set-pi-hole-to-use-it/52684/5 "2022-01-15T19:54:44Z")

</div>

> [@jfb](#):
>
> This is your problem. All your unbound DNS queries are being forwarded to your router.
> 
> 1. Edit file `/etc/resolvconf.conf` and comment out the last line which should read: 
> 2. Delete the unwanted unbound configuration file:
> 3. Restart unbound:

Thanks, seem to work great now!

Hopefully the model of pi I have wont be a bottleneck for my home network 🙂

---

<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:** [January 15, 2022, 8:24pm UTC](https://discourse.pi-hole.net/t/unbound-starts-failing-when-i-set-pi-hole-to-use-it/52684/6 "2022-01-15T20:24:18Z")

</div>

> [@Norlig](#):
>
> Hopefully the model of pi I have wont be a bottleneck for my home network

Only your DNS traffic goes to Pi-hole. Data traffic is between clients and the router. The model of Pi or method of connecting it to your network will not impact internet speed.

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![wd9895](https://discourse-cdn.pi-hole.net/user_avatar/discourse.pi-hole.net/wd9895/32/54849_2.png) [@wd9895](https://discourse.pi-hole.net/u/wd9895)\
**Post date:** [January 15, 2022, 10:41pm UTC](https://discourse.pi-hole.net/t/unbound-starts-failing-when-i-set-pi-hole-to-use-it/52684/7 "2022-01-15T22:41:32Z")

</div>

Has the documentation been changes yet?

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**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:** [February 5, 2022, 10:42pm UTC](https://discourse.pi-hole.net/t/unbound-starts-failing-when-i-set-pi-hole-to-use-it/52684/8 "2022-02-05T22:42:16Z")

</div>

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