Setting up Pi-Hole on a Joggler
https://pi-hole.net/
Very quick guide for how I did it:
1. Installed Buzz's latest XUbuntu (ext version) from
http://jwills.co.uk/projects/joggler-xubuntu/download/.
2. Installed it on a trusted SanDisk Cruzer Fit Mini 4Gb USB stick via Windows 7 64 Bit using Win32DiskImager 0.9.5
3. Booted Joggler from USB and set static IP via the option in the networking menu (used USB keyboard and mouse).
4. Rebooted Joggler without keyboard and mouse - latest XUbuntu has SSH installed by default so did rest of commands via Putty.
5. Logged into Joggler from Windows via Putty
6. Swithced to root
sudo su
7. Installed Pi-Hole to Joggler via
curl -sSL https://install.pi-hole.net | bash and followed prompts
8. Went to BT Home Hub 5 advanced settings and turned off DHCP server
9. In pi-Hole web interface (IP address/admin) turned on the built in DHCP server via settings
10. Set up
/etc/dnsmasq.d/staticip.conf file with lines in the format
dhcp-host=xx:xx:xx:xx:xx:xx,y.y.y.y,chosennameofdevice Then cleared incorrectly assigned IP addresses in
/etc/pihole/dhcp.leases I was nano-ing the .conf file to start with, but once I remembered how to use WinSCP as root, I used that instead.
11. Added my chosen custom DNS servers (Norton Connect Safe compelte blocking). I did have to turn off all BT Family Safety settings in MyBT account. Others are built in e.g. Google, OpenDNS etc.
12. Rebooted Pi-Hole Joggler via web interface.
13. For some reason I had to restart DNS servers via Pi-hole web interface to make the internet work. I think it was because I changed the
staticip.conf file. It seems to like the DNS servers to be restarted manually after doing this. It has worked fine on subsequent test reboots of the Joggler. I have a thread on the pihole help board about this which I will re-open if it does this again (there is a built in error reporting/logging uploading system in pi-hole).
I love it because:
- It utilised the spare Joggler I had following the purchase of the Amazon Echo Dot!
All devices on the network are adblocked/easily filtered including Apple devices. It either blocks adds completely or leaves a space where they were (unless a device is running its own adblocker (e.g. ublock origin on Chrome browser) in which case the frame is removed completely.
It gives me my own choice of DNS servers rather than having to stick with BTs own. I did have to turn off all BT Family Safety settings in MyBT account.
All my devices are assigned the correct IPs that I want.
Devices seem to connect to the network a fraction quicker with their static IPs using pi-holes DHCP server rather than the BT Home Hub one.
When I flip back to Sky (probably) for Internet in a month or two I won't need to faff around with loads of router settings for IP addresses. I'll just need to set the router's IP address, turn off DHCP server and I'm good to go.
Its logging is very easy to look at and so I can see when the kids have had a sneaky go on their devices by looking at the IP log.
Potential problems:
- I've been led to believe that Mobdro won't work on tablets connected to the network. I don't use it though so it doesn't bother me.
If Joggler hangs it'll need rebooting to make the internet work. I have put a switch in the cable to make this easier than trying ot reach plug/pull the wire.
I really must make a backup of the XUbuntu usb stick today!