Setting up a Private DNS Server using Raspberry Pi

Computers need IP addresses to communicate with one another over the internet. These addresses allow devices to recognize which servers/devices they are communicating with. <!--more--> However, it's difficult to remember IP addresses, hence the need for Domain Name Systems (DNS) servers.

DNS servers change domain names into IP addresses. In other words, a DNS is like a phone book that contains web addresses which makes access to different pages faster.

Table of contents #

• Prerequisites
• How DNS servers work
• Functions of a DNS
• Setting up a DNS server on Raspberry Pi
• Conclusion

Prerequisites #

To understand this tutorial, you need to have access to:

• Raspberry Pi (2-4) with Raspbian Pi OS.
• Internet connection.
• A Raspberry Pi's terminal.

How DNS servers work #

Devices request one or more DNS servers to get access to the correct domain name. This process can be time-consuming.

Having a private and dedicated DNS server helps save significant time. A Raspberry Pi is small but can be used in this scenario.

A DNS server offers a way of mapping domain names to IP addresses.

The DNS converts the domain name requests into IP addresses. For instance, when a web address is entered into a browser, DNS servers provide the IP address of the webserver that is linked to that particular name.

Let's use a domain name such as www.google.com as an example. When the DNS resolver is queried, it will respond with an IP address or error. In this case, the DNS server would respond with 172.217.170.174, which is Google's IP address.

Functions of a DNS #

Below are three significant benefits that a private Domain Name System (DNS) would offer:

Speed

A query to the web may sometimes have to pass through various servers and routers before the user can access a web page. This time is mostly in milliseconds.

With a private DNS, the query does not have to pass through multiple servers. The delivery time will, therefore, be shorter and more efficient.

Privacy

To gain access to the correct domain name, information from a device has to be sent to an external server which in turn creates a trail over the internet.

When a private DNS is used, and information does not have to leave the internal network.

Security

Hosting a private DNS server offers increased privacy because the owner gets complete control over entries. This protects the server from malicious entries.

Setting up a DNS server on Raspberry Pi #

Step 1 - Updating Raspberry Pi packages #

We first need to update Rasberry-Pi packages using the following commands:

sudo apt update

sudo apt upgrade

Step 2 - DNSMasq package installation on the Raspberry Pi #

The next step is to install the DNSMasq utility, which is essential in setting up the DNS server. DNSMasq helps in configuring the DNS forwarder.

It resolves DNS queries for various devices available on the network. On the Raspberry Pi, it manages the limited resources used while setting up the DNS server.

sudo apt install dnsmasq

Step 3 - DNSMasq configuration #

This step is designed to boost the performance of the DNS server.

Edit dnsmasq.conf file, as shown below:

sudo nano /etc/dnsmasq.conf

Press CTRL+W to search and remove the # sign in front of the following lines:

• domain-needed – It makes sure that the DNS server does not forward any incorrect domain names. This checks for names that do not have a dot and keeps them in the local network.

• bogus-priv – It prevents the server from forwarding queries within local ranges of IP to upstream servers. It acts as a security feature that prevents leaking of local IPs to upstream servers.

• no-resolv – It tells the DNS server to use the DNSMasq for address resolution instead of /etc/resolv.conf.

Press CTRL+W to locate the line shown below and then delete it.

#server=/localnet/192.168.0.1

Then, add the following lines:

server=8.8.8.8
server=8.8.4.4

The step above ensures that google DNS servers are used as the upstream servers.

Press CTRL+W to look for the following line:

#cache-size=150

Remove the # sign and then change the cache size to 1000:

cache-size =1000

Changing the size of the cache to a more significant number helps reduce the response time. Saving more DNS request responses also improves performance.

Next, save the edits using CTRL + X. Then, restart the DNSMasq using the command below:

sudo systemctl restart dnsmasq

Check the status of the DNS using the command below:

sudo systemctl status dnsmasq

Step 4: DNS server testing #

The server is tested using the dig command.

dig is a Linux command used to query DNS servers to get information about a name server, host address, and others. It is used to gather information about DNS.

dig <domain> @localhost

For instance:

dig section.io/kb @localhost

In the image above, we are checking to see how long the query took to execute. This can be seen in the last section of the image, where it shows:

Query Time: 1091 msec

Note that we are only interested in the time taken to get a response from the server, which is 1091 msec.

The time taken to perform a query is shorter because the address is stored in the cache. This is clear in the picture below.

Remember, we are only interested in the Query Time.

Step 5 - Set the DNS Server on your device #

We determine the IP address of the raspberry PI using the ifconfig command.

The IP address is the inet addr; hence, our server's IP is 10.0.2.15.

Next, set this IP address as the DNS server on devices. To achieve this setting on your Windows PC:

Press the windows key + R to open Run. Type control in the new window and click enter to open the Control Panel.

In the control panel, select Network and Internet.

Then select View network status and tasks in the new window.

On the left of the new pane, select Change adapter settings.

Right-click on the network interface in use, e.g., Wi-Fi or ethernet, and then select Properties.

Click on Internet Protocol Version 4 (TCP/IPv4) then select Properties again.

On the new window, choose, Use the following DNS server address.

Conclusion #

The network speed can be highly utilized by using Raspberry PI. caching IP addresses helps to reduce the DNS query response time.

Considering that a DNS server is one of the targets for cybercriminals, it is crucial to keep it as secure as possible.

It is vital to ensure that the server receives automatic updates. The command sudo apt install unattended-upgrades –y can be used for this operation.

Relevant resources #

• How to Use a Raspberry Pi as a DNS Server
• How to use your Raspberry Pi as a DNS Server (And Speed Up Internet)
• Using my Raspberry PI as a Tiny DNS Server

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Peer Review Contributions by: Willies Ogola