187
Votes

Feature Request - Guest Network separate DHCP/DNS settings

 
187
Votes

Feature Request - Guest Network separate DHCP/DNS settings

268 Reply
Re:Feature Request - Guest Network separate DHCP/DNS settings
2026-05-24 12:31:09

Well, these are indeed solid workarounds. The first one is kinda for me... BUT - 

If one connects pihole device to the "outter" router, and the wi-fi clients are connecting to Deco, you will not see which device visits which web address. It will all be showing the Deco IP. Sometimes it's good for diagnostic stuff to know which device is connecting to fishy websites etc.

 

The second workaround, if I understand it correctly, requires me to buy additional device for it.

 

And finally, we shouldn't have to use workarounds for such basic functionality. :(

#268
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Re:Feature Request - Guest Network separate DHCP/DNS settings
2026-05-24 13:45:13 - last edited 2026-05-25 00:06:22

It doesn't have to be two separate devices, it can just be two different interface cards on the same server.

 

On my setup that's how I have it. My DNS server is running on a Dell thin client which comes with a 1Gbps NIC on the motherboard and an empty M.2 E-Key slot normally intended for a wifi card. Instead of a wifi card I instead bought an Intel 2.5 Gbps NIC to slot into that slot. the 2.5 Gbps is plugged into Deco's main lan while the 1 Gbps NIC is plugged into the outer router's lan. The two NICs have two different IP in two different IP ranges. On the Deco I have the two IPs setup as primary and secondary DNS. So which ever DNS server IP users go for the end up at the same machine. Just the secondary DNS is sitting outside of Deco's lan on its wan side so guest network can reach it fine.

 

One machine with two NICs would be a lot easier to administer than two separate machines.

#269
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[Recommended Solution]Feature Request - Guest Network separate DHCP/DNS settings
2026-05-28 06:39:56

  @TP-Link Shameful that this has been so often requested for so long and still has not been implemented in some shape or form.

#270
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Re:Feature Request - Guest Network separate DHCP/DNS settings
3 weeks ago - last edited 3 weeks ago

Hi @Temstar

Thanks for your workaround.

I have an alternate, software only workaround (using single ethernet connection) for scenario 2 (where DNS server is also running other internal services)..

https://www.reddit.com/r/TpLink/comments/1tt5o5q/guide_guest_network_local_dns_server/

 

Seeing as it looks like tp-link are never going to fix this :(

 

All the best.

#271
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Re:Feature Request - Guest Network separate DHCP/DNS settings
2 weeks ago
Totally agree with this feature request. Another option would be to "allow" a small list of ip-addresses to be available for the guest and IoT-isolated clients so that you can have a pihole DNS server available for all clients. The filtering and caching will help everyone. Could also be used to make something like a printer available for guest without giving them access to the whole network.
#272
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RE:Feature Request - Guest Network separate DHCP/DNS settings
2 weeks ago
Useful option. Could also allow us to configure a few ip-addresses which are allowed to communicate anyway to guest and IoT-isolated clients.
#273
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RE:Feature Request - Guest Network separate DHCP/DNS settings
a week ago
Would this also work for IoT devices? Example, my preferred DNS blocks ads, but some of my IoT devices rely on some of those domains for technical reasons and if they can't reach it, they crash.
#274
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RE:Feature Request - Guest Network separate DHCP/DNS settings
a week ago

  @carguy143 that happens when you filter, sometimes you filter too much. You could explicitly allow these domains once you found them in the logs. In pihole you can temporary disable the filtering to test if it is the cause of the issue.

#275
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