Question trying to figure out 2gb+ WAN and LAN, with a pi-hole added.

[mac_angel]

Hard to summarize for a title.
I have 1.5Gbe Internet (hoping it may go up some day), with Rogers (Canada). I have the modem running as the router, my computer using the 2.5Gbe jack on the modem, an Asus RT-AX86U router for wifi on the main floor (not a big home), my son's computer plugged into the modem, and then an unmanaged 1Gbe switch using the last plug and some devices plugged into that. My home is wired with 40Gbe ethernet (I did myself), and down the road I would like to put in a 10Gbe switch for my main power computers. I recently added a Windows Pi-Hole, but found out that I can't change the DNS address on the Roger's modem. The only options would be to turn it to bridged mode, use another Asus router (RT-AC-86U), and use Air-Mesh to keep the AX86U on the main floor for the main wifi. But then I lose my Internet speed, not being able to get over 1Gbe (from the Asus router, and then to my computer). The other option is that I go around and change the DNS addy in every device in my home. I do prefer the options of being able to have more control with using the Asus Merlin firmware router, but I can't figure out how to do it with keeping my faster internet.

 

[nigelivey]

More interested to know what "My home is wired with 40Gbe ethernet" means?

 

[mac_angel]

More interested to know what "My home is wired with 40Gbe ethernet" means?

When we moved in, the basement was unfinished. I had the chance to run 40Gbe, shielded CAT8 cable through most of the home, all ending in the furnace room, where I have the modem/router, my media server, and now my Pi-Hole computer.
My gaming computer is the only one that is connected to the 2.5Gbe on the back of the modem, so it's the only one that's getting full speed. I plan on upgrading to 10Gbe for my computer, my son's computer, and my media server, and I'd like to be able to have full internet speed on all these devices instead of only one.

 

[bill001g]

I assume you mean you can't change the DNS in the DHCP settings. Not sure why some routers do this, setting it to something like 1.1.1.1 or 8.8.8.8 is so much better than using the router proxy dns that has issues many times.

I have not messed around with pihole stuff for a while but since it is unix based maybe a option would be to completely disable the DHCP on the router and let the pihole machine run DHCP and assign IP. You should be able to have the pihole give out the actual IP of the router as the gateway. This is done all the time in commercial installs that have a central DHCP server for many different subnets.

Added note ...I would avoid the temptation of the shiny fast internet numbers. Pretty much they are very good at downloading the money in your wallet to the ISP. The only thing you really need fast speeds for is downloading huge internet files. It depends on how many hours a month you actually do that. Your general traffic even with multiple 4k netflix streams running can easily run in a 100mbps. Higher download speeds do not have much other use they do not improve latency.

 

[mac_angel]

I assume you mean you can't change the DNS in the DHCP settings. Not sure why some routers do this, setting it to something like 1.1.1.1 or 8.8.8.8 is so much better than using the router proxy dns that has issues many times.

I have not messed around with pihole stuff for a while but since it is unix based maybe a option would be to completely disable the DHCP on the router and let the pihole machine run DHCP and assign IP. You should be able to have the pihole give out the actual IP of the router as the gateway. This is done all the time in commercial installs that have a central DHCP server for many different subnets.

Added note ...I would avoid the temptation of the shiny fast internet numbers. Pretty much they are very good at downloading the money in your wallet to the ISP. The only thing you really need fast speeds for is downloading huge internet files. It depends on how many hours a month you actually do that. Your general traffic even with multiple 4k netflix streams running can easily run in a 100mbps. Higher download speeds do not have much other use they do not improve latency.

I do use the Internet a lot. I've gotten into a few battles with Rogers for my use. They say it's "unlimited" but I'm abusing that.
I'm not sure how you mean to set up the Pi-Hole to machine run the DHCP. I'm new to it myself, and the way I read to set it up was to just connect it to the network like any other computer (plus the software), and have the modem/router have the DNS address point to the IP address of the Pi-Hole. If you're talking about having it set up as modem - pi-hole - router/switch - and then computers, that sounds like a whole other mess, and I'd have to upgrade the Pi-Hole computer to have at least a dual 2.5Gbe eithernet card to keep my internet speed.

 

[bill001g]

No you would hook the pihole up just as if you were planning before.

So a quick search found this link. I have no first hand knowledge of pihole.

How do I use Pi-hole's built in DHCP server (and why would I want to)?

Using Your Existing Router For Network-wide Ad Blocking You might not need to use Pi-hole's DHCP server: In many home environments, your router also functions as your DHCP server. In this case, you can often set Pi-hole to be the DNS server for your network clients in the router's DHCP (or...

discourse.pi-hole.net

The traffic does not have to go through the DHCP server. It is a box anywhere on your network. Your pc sends out a DHCP request saying someone give me a IP address. The DHCP server gives it the information and then pretty much does not talk to the end device again until the address expires.