Technitium DNS Server — Self-Hosted Authoritative and Recursive DNS

Introduction

Technitium DNS Server is a self-hosted DNS server that functions as both an authoritative nameserver and a recursive resolver. It includes a web-based dashboard for managing zones, records, and settings, along with built-in DNS-level ad blocking similar to Pi-hole but integrated into the DNS server itself.

What Technitium DNS Does

• Serves authoritative DNS zones with support for all standard record types (A, AAAA, CNAME, MX, TXT, SRV, etc.)
• Resolves recursive queries with built-in caching and DNSSEC validation
• Blocks ads and trackers using customizable block lists applied at the DNS level
• Supports encrypted DNS protocols including DNS-over-HTTPS (DoH), DNS-over-TLS (DoT), and DNS-over-QUIC
• Provides per-client query logging and analytics through the web dashboard

Architecture Overview

Technitium DNS Server is written in C# and runs on .NET, supporting Linux, Windows, macOS, and Docker deployments. The server handles both authoritative and recursive queries in a single process, with a built-in cache layer for performance. Zone data is stored in local files, and the web dashboard is served by an embedded HTTP server. DNSSEC validation is performed inline during recursive resolution, and encrypted DNS protocols are handled natively without requiring a separate proxy.

Self-Hosting & Configuration

• Deploy via Docker with port 53 (DNS) and 5380 (dashboard) exposed
• Install natively on Linux, Windows, or macOS using the .NET runtime
• Configure upstream forwarders for recursive resolution (Cloudflare, Google, Quad9, or custom)
• Import block lists from popular sources like Steven Black, OISD, or custom URLs
• Set up primary/secondary zone replication for high availability

Key Features

• Combined authoritative and recursive DNS in a single application
• Built-in DNS-level ad and tracker blocking with multiple list support
• Encrypted DNS via DoH, DoT, DoQ, and DNSCrypt out of the box
• DNSSEC signing for authoritative zones and validation for recursive queries
• Web-based dashboard with query logs, analytics, and zone management

Comparison with Similar Tools

• Pi-hole — DNS sinkhole for ad blocking only; Technitium is a full DNS server with ad blocking as one feature
• AdGuard Home — similar ad blocking with DNS; Technitium adds authoritative DNS hosting and DNSSEC signing
• CoreDNS — Kubernetes-focused DNS; Technitium targets self-hosted networks with a management UI
• BIND9 — the classic authoritative DNS server; Technitium provides a modern web UI and simpler configuration
• Unbound — recursive resolver only; Technitium combines authoritative and recursive in one

FAQ

Q: Can Technitium replace Pi-hole? A: Yes. It provides DNS-level ad blocking plus full authoritative and recursive DNS features that Pi-hole does not include.

Q: Does it support split-horizon DNS? A: Yes. You can configure different responses for internal and external clients using zone overrides.

Q: What platforms does it run on? A: Linux, Windows, macOS, and Docker. It requires .NET 8 runtime for native installs.

Q: Can I use it as my LAN DNS server? A: Yes. Point your router or DHCP server to the Technitium instance and it will handle all local and recursive DNS queries.

Sources

• https://github.com/TechnitiumSoftware/DnsServer
• https://technitium.com/dns