Problem trying to run PiHole with Zyxel Multy X Wifi

conanius

Virgin Media Superhub in Modem Mode, plugged into the WAN port of the primary Zyxel Multy X in the lounge.
3 further Multy X devices around the house in the same network asking as WiFi points

One of these is in the study, Rpi with PiHole installed on it plugged into an Ethernet port

I configure PiHole, DHCP Server *off*, and have a static IP set (which I reserve in the Multy X config).

Go into the Multy X settings, set the IP of the PiHole as my primary DNS server.

Within 30 seconds the Multy X re-ip's my entire network (EG taking from 192.x.x.x to a 10.x.x.x network).

Is this an issue where the Multy X won't allow a local DNS resolver?


#MultyX_Mar_2020

Zyxel_Eric

Dear Sir,

Yes, DNS server on Multy cannot set as LAN IP or LAN device.
After you set the DNS as the LAN device, Multy will detect that the IP is conflicted, then will reconfig all network as 10.0.0.1
That is the design limitation.

Please set your PiHole on the WAN side of Multy, and config the DNS server as the PiHole, it should work.

Best Regards,
Eric

conanius

Hi Eric,

Argh !

Is this something that will be fixed in a software release? I'll have to look to replace the equipment if this can't be resolved. 

Would be good to be able to disable DHCP too....

Zyxel_Eric

Dear Sir,

Due to the DNS IP Setting in Multy App is for WAN, you cannot set the DNS as your LAN device, otherwise, Multy would detect that the WAN IP subnet and LAN IP subnet are conflicted, then change the IP as 10.0.0.1

I had added your request to our idea Discussion and report it internally. 

Thank you for your advice.  
Best Regards,
Eric

conanius

Hi Eric,

Thanks for the update - its not that uncommon really to run your own local DNS servers - things like Synology NAS allow you to do this with great ease.

Look forward to an update - any idea on eta for a decision?

Thanks !

Zyxel_Eric

Dear Sir,

After our discussion, this feature won't be added to our feature queue this time.
If there are other users who also have the same request, we will reconsider putting this feature in the future release. It will depend on the major needs of most users.

Users can always check the "idea discussion" session to vote up for the feature that they need.

Best Regards,
Eric

Mosvold

Please add this. 

Gladragen

I have also hooked up an Piehole to my homenetwork and had adressing issues. I feel this is an widely used configuration and I hope the feature will be added.. Thank you

Matrixmen

The easiest setup is to setup the pihole "after" your router. What you would do is set the (WAN) DNS on your router as the static IP of the pihole. On the pihole, you set google's DNS as the WAN DNS. In a setup like this, this is the route a DNS query takes:

Device -> router -> pihole -> Google https://snaptube.cam/

The downside to this setup is that you won't be able to see stats on individual devices; all you'll see are queries from the router.

If you'd like individual reporting the easiest thing to do is to have the router assign the IP address of the pihole as the only DNS server on your network to your devices.

If that doesn't work, then you'll need to turn off DHCP/DNS on your router, enable DHCP/DNS on the pihole, set the router as the upstream DNS server on the pihole, and then reboot your router (which should push out the config change to all the client devices). In a setup like this https://9apps.cam/, this is the route a DNS query takes:

Device -> pihole -> router -> (Upstream DNS set in the Router).

Your routers/mesh network shouldn’t be switching from a class A/B/C private network to another class A/B/C private network.

tonygibbs16

Hello @Matrixmen

Why would you need to turn off DHCP on the router?

On my Zyxel VMG1312-B10D I can configure it to give out any DNS server address I want under the DHCP configuration, and I make it give out Google public DNS of 8.8.8.8 and 8.8.4.4 irrespective of the DNS server addresses that my ISP suggests in PPPoE.

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year.

Tony

tonygibbs16

Hello @Zyxel_Eric and @Zyxel_Support_CPE

Could this be considered again please?

Perhaps a way forward would be to have an option in MultyX to be a DHCP relay, so that the only DHCP server for the LAN would be the one in the router connected to the WAN?

Cisco have this DHCP relay option in some of their products, so that the DHCP server can be on a different subnet to the hosts being allocated IP addresses.

The router would then be able to allocate all the IP addresses for the LAN as needed without conflicts, and then the DNS server addresses can be given out from there.

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year.

Tony