Nginx Proxy Manager with Pi-hole v6

Prerequisites

Before starting, ensure you have:

• Pi-hole v6 running in an LXC, VM, or Docker container
• A working Nginx Proxy Manager installation
• An active DuckDNS account and domain

Step 1: Upload Your SSL Certificates

1. Log in to Nginx Proxy Manager

• Open the Nginx Proxy Manager UI and click the SSL Certificates tab
• Click on the three dots on the right to download your DuckDNS SSL certificates

2. Upload DuckDNS SSL Certificates

if your machine (VM, server, LXC, etc.) has a configured files share folder using protocols like Samba, NFS, or others, you can leverage this feature to easily transfer the downloaded certificates from your laptop to the target system

3. Edit SSL Certificates for Pi-hole Use

Access the command line on your Pi-hole instance and combine the downloaded certificates:

sudo cat /path/to/certificates/fullchain.pem /path/to/certificates/privkey.pem > /etc/pihole/server.pem

Step 2: Edit Pi-hole configuration:

Update pihole.toml

• Open the configuration file:

sudo nano /etc/pihole/pihole.toml

• replace domain = pi.hole with your DuckDns domain, for example:

domain = "pihole.example.duckdns.org"

• replace cert=/etc/pihole/tls.pem with:

cert = "/etc/pihole/server.pem" ### CHANGED, default = "/etc/pihole/tls.pem"

• Restart the DNS service:

sudo pihole restartdns

Step 3: Configure Nginx Proxy Manager:

Enable the Pi-hole Proxy Host

From the NPM web UI, navigate to the Hosts menu, select Proxy Hosts, and click Add Proxy Host:

Details Section:

• Domain names: pihole.example.duckdns.org
• Scheme: http
• Forward Hostname / IP: Use the IP address of your Pi-hole instance
• Forward Port: Input the port where Pi-hole is running (typically 80 or your custom port) SSL Section:
• Point to your DuckDNS certificate files
• Check all recommended options, such as “Block Common Exploits”

Advanced Section:

To ensure proper redirection to the login page, add the following snippet:

    location / {
      proxy_pass http://PiHole-IP:80/admin/;
      proxy_set_header Host $host;
      proxy_set_header X-Real-IP $remote_addr;
      proxy_set_header X-Forwarded-For $proxy_add_x_forwarded_for;
      proxy_hide_header X-Frame-Options;
      proxy_set_header X-Frame-Options "SAMEORIGIN";
      proxy_read_timeout 90;
    }
    location /admin {
      proxy_pass http://PiHole-IP:80/admin/;
      proxy_set_header Host $host;
      proxy_set_header X-Real-IP $remote_addr;
      proxy_set_header X-Forwarded-For $proxy_add_x_forwarded_for;
      proxy_hide_header X-Frame-Options;
      proxy_set_header X-Frame-Options "SAMEORIGIN";
      proxy_read_timeout 90;
    }

Final Thoughts:

Following these steps will help you create a streamlined and secure setup that integrates DuckDNS, Pi-hole v6, and Nginx Proxy Manager. This organized approach minimizes potential configuration errors.

Remember to verify each step as you go. If you encounter any issues, re-check file paths and service statuses for a quick fix. Enjoy your secure and efficient network setup!