HH4000 interfering with pihole DNS setup

[ac3MHN]

Hello,

I am attempting to run pihole on my home network, and I believe the HH4000 is deliberately interfering.  An identical setup with my previous home internet (cable, separate tp-link router) works just fine.

My setup - pihole/pihole:2021.10.1 docker container running on an unraid server, using a bridged connection with separate IP address.

Any attempt to manually set DNS in advanced settings results in 192.168.x.1 and (second-dns-server) sent to DHCP clients.  Any attempt to dig/nslookup to my pihole server results in requests sent to pihole, pihole logs a query and forwards to upstream servers (either bell's or google public servers) but never receives a reply.  dig/nslookup calls to the same servers reply successfully.

Any attempt to turn off HH4000's DHCP server fails; the slider reverts to ON after every submit, so I can't run pihole's DHCP server.

I need the pihole to implement website blacklisting as a form of overall parental control.

I'd appreciate any assistance or ideas.

Thank you.

[BellDRock]

Hi @ac3MHN  Tagging in three very smart Community users here to hopefully help you out.

@ZaneP @navderek or @JD are you able to help out here?

[ZaneP · Accepted solution]

Hi @ac3MHN  (cc: @BellDRock ),

I think you raised this issue elsewhere, but good to see it here. It may help Bell understand that there's a wide range of subscribers with different needs/wants.

Unfortunately, what you want to accomplish isn't currently possible with the HH4000. 

Customization of the HH4000 is not granular. It seems that the firmware limits user access to configuration screens that are otherwise available on a separate router.

So if you have your own, connect it the HH4000. Use PPPoE, with your Bell credentials. The HH will be in gateway mode only.

[MKE1138]

Hi all,

I'm trying to set up dual Pihole DNS on my HH4K.

• With a Single Pihole and another DNS server (like 8.8.8.8), I have internet connectivity but with ads that I know Pihole blocks.
• With dual Pihole DNS servers (located on my LAN) there's no internet access.
• When I try to use only a single Pihole, the HH4K errors saying that I need a second DNS server.

Has anyone run into this? Can someone give me some advice on how to ensure that my DNS is run through Pihole?

[BellDRock]

Adding on to @ZaneP here; to achieve Bridge mode, the DMZ / Advanced DMZ in the Advanced Tool section of the GUI should provide the necessary functionalities needed. 

Depending on the scenario you want to achieve, in your 3rd party device that should be connected on a LAN port you may also need to do some or all the following configuration tasks:

• Turn off Whole Home Wi-Fi and Primary Wi-Fi network on the HH4K / Enable Wi-Fi on device
• Turn  off DHCP in the HH4K / Enable DHCP on your device
• Configure PPPoE settings on your  device by either inputting you Bell b1 and password [Bell Internet user ID (e.g., b1xxxxxx)] - (under the internet tab on the top page of the GUI) or inputting other credentials you may want to use.  This will circumvent the HH4K NAT.

[Ja5on]

unfortunately, pihole cannot process the loop info HH4000 sends to.

The only solution is set pihole or other side router as DHCP server and set DNS server automatically. 

[Esolving]

Hi @Ja5on,

Yes I read that enabling PiHole as a DHCP server instead of the HH4000 should work but in my case it only works for connected devices ie all my wifi are now without internet (tried rebooting the device, forgetting the network etc.) and not going through PiHole.
Any ideas? Couldn't find anything on the web.

Thanks

[Vanadiel]

If you are using the WiFi from the home hub, there's no way that I know off to insert anything in between the WiFi flow and the WAN connection of the home hub.

You would need a separate AP setup behind your PiHole server.