Raspberry Pi DNS Server Setup Guide

The Domain Name System (DNS) converts human-friendly website names like www.example.com into IP addresses that computers use to connect. Think of it as the Internet’s phonebook. By turning your Raspberry Pi into a DNS server, you can reduce lookup times, increase speed, and gain better control over your network.

This guide walks you through setting up a DNS server on a Raspberry Pi using DNSMasq, a lightweight yet powerful DNS tool. 🚀

🧾 Prerequisites​

Before you start, make sure you have the following:

• Raspberry Pi 2, 3, or 4 running Raspbian OS with a static IP address
• Ethernet cable or Wi-Fi connection
• Power supply
• MicroSD card
• Terminal access (directly or via SSH) with sudo privileges

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🧩 Step 1: Update Packages​

Always start by updating your Raspberry Pi to ensure all dependencies are current.

sudo apt update
sudo apt upgrade

Wait for the process to finish before moving on.

🧠 Step 2: Install DNS Software​

Install DNSMasq, a lightweight DNS forwarder perfect for small home or office networks:

sudo apt install dnsmasq

DNSMasq will handle DNS queries and cache results for faster access. ⚡

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⚙️ Step 3: Configure DNSMasq​

Now it’s time to configure DNSMasq to optimize your Pi’s DNS performance.

1. Open the configuration file:
   sudo nano /etc/dnsmasq.conf
2. Uncomment and enablethe following options:
   • domain-needed → Prevents forwarding of incomplete names.
   • bogus-priv → Stops private IPs from being sent to upstream servers.
   • no-resolv → Ensures DNSMasq uses only configured upstream servers.
3. Set upstream DNS servers by replacing this line:
   #server=/localnet/192.168.0.1
   With:
   

   server=8.8.8.8
   server=8.8.4.4

   These are Google DNS servers, known for reliability and speed.
4. Increase DNS cache size for faster repeat lookups:
   #cache-size=150
   Change to:
   cache-size=1000
5. Save and exit the file:
   Press CTRL + X, then Y, and hit Enter.
6. Restart the DNSMasq service to apply your changes:
   

   sudo systemctl restart dnsmasq

7. Check if it’s running properly:
   

   sudo systemctl status dnsmasq

   You should see “active (running)” ✅

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🧪 Step 4: Test the DNS Server​

Now let’s test if your Raspberry Pi DNS server is working correctly.

1. Use the dig command to query a domain:
   

   dig example.com @localhost

2. Look for the Query time in the response.
   The first query may take a few milliseconds, but repeating it should be faster due to caching.

💡 If “dig” is not found, install it:

sudo apt install dnsutils

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🌐 Step 5: Configure Your Devices to Use the Pi DNS​

Finally, you’ll point your other devices to the Raspberry Pi DNS server.

1. Find your Raspberry Pi’s IP address:
   ifconfig
   • Use the eth0 address for Ethernet
   • Use wlan0 for Wi-Fi
2. On your computer or router, set the DNS server address to your Raspberry Pi’s IP.
   (This setting varies depending on your operating system.)

All devices in your network will now use the Raspberry Pi for DNS lookups, giving you faster and more consistent performance. ⚡

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🏁 Conclusion​

By configuring a Raspberry Pi as a DNS server, you’re not just improving speed - you’re enhancing efficiency, reducing bandwidth usage, and even gaining more control over your local network.

With DNSMasq, you get a lightweight, powerful, and reliable DNS caching solution that makes your Internet experience smoother than ever. 🌐✨