User Guide

Murphy's Law of Complex Systems: "If you can't understand it, it's intuitively obvious." — Arthur Bloch, Murphy's Law

Welcome to the comprehensive Pimeleon user guide. This reference covers everything you need to know for daily operations, from basic connectivity to advanced troubleshooting. Whether you're a new user or power user, you'll find the information you need organized by topic for easy reference.

The beauty of Pimeleon is that it makes complex networking simple - everything is configured to work automatically, so you can focus on using your network instead of managing it.

Quick Start

Just Want to Get Online?

1. Connect to the network: Plug in Ethernet cable or connect to WiFi
2. Get online automatically: Your device receives automatic configuration via DHCP
3. Browse securely: Ad blocking, DNS filtering, and firewall protection work automatically

That's it! Everything else happens in the background. The rest of this guide covers what's happening behind the scenes and how to customize your experience.

Network Connectivity

Wired Network (LAN)

Network Details:

• Speed: Up to 100Mbps (Raspberry Pi 3B+ hardware limit)
• Best for: Desktop computers, NAS devices, printers, smart TVs
• Priority: High-speed, trusted network for primary devices
• Connection: Plug in Ethernet cable and you're online

When to use wired:

• Maximum speed and reliability needed
• Streaming 4K video
• Large file transfers
• Gaming with low latency requirements
• Devices that don't move (desktops, printers, NAS)

Wireless Network (WiFi)

Network Details:

• Speed: Up to ~50Mbps (Raspberry Pi 3B+ WiFi limit)
• Best for: Laptops, smartphones, tablets, IoT devices
• Priority: Convenient wireless access for mobile devices
• Connection: Select WiFi network and enter password

When to use wireless:

• Mobile devices (laptops, phones, tablets)
• Devices without Ethernet ports
• Temporary connections
• Devices that move around

iOS Device Compatibility: Your router includes special optimizations for iOS devices (iPhone, iPad) to maintain connectivity when the screen locks. If you experience disconnections, contact your network administrator.

Network Performance

Speed Expectations:

What affects speed:

• Distance from router (WiFi only)
• Number of connected devices
• Your internet service provider speed
• Network filtering (minimal impact ~10-20ms)

Automatic Configuration (DHCP)

Zero Configuration Setup

When you connect a device, it automatically receives:

Network Settings:

• Unique IP address
• Network gateway (router address)
• DNS servers (with ad blocking)
• Subnet and routing information

Additional Services:

• Time synchronization servers
• Network discovery (file sharing, printers)
• Local domain name
• Firewall protection

No manual configuration needed - just connect and everything works!

Understanding IP Addresses

Your device's IP address:

• Automatically assigned when you connect
• Valid for up to 7 days
• Automatically renewed every 30 minutes while connected
• May change if you disconnect for more than 7 days

Network Capacity:

• Wired network: ~150 available addresses
• Wireless network: ~150 available addresses
• Typical usage: 10-30 devices (home), 30-100 devices (office)
• Maximum recommended: 130 total devices

Need the same IP address always? Contact your network administrator for a "static DHCP reservation" - your device will always get the same IP address based on its MAC address.

Troubleshooting Connection Issues

Device won't get online:

1. Forget network and reconnect: Triggers fresh DHCP request
2. Restart your device: Clears stuck network state
3. Try other network: Switch between wired/wireless to isolate issue
4. Check router status: Verify router is powered and functioning

"Limited connectivity" error:

Windows:

Open Command Prompt as Administrator
ipconfig /release
ipconfig /renew

macOS:

System Preferences → Network → Advanced → TCP/IP
Click "Renew DHCP Lease"

Linux:

sudo dhclient -r
sudo dhclient

iOS/Android:

Forget WiFi network
Reconnect and enter password

Security and Filtering

Automatic Protection

Every device on your network receives automatic protection:

DNS Filtering (Layer 1):

• Blocks millions of known ad and tracking domains
• Prevents malware and phishing sites from loading
• Faster page loads without downloading ads
• Encrypted DNS queries (ISP can't see your browsing)

Proxy Filtering (Layer 2):

• Additional HTTP content filtering
• Removes tracking scripts and pixels
• Privacy protection
• Bandwidth optimization

Firewall Protection (Layer 3):

• Blocks unauthorized access from internet
• Prevents port scanning and intrusion attempts
• Protects all devices automatically
• Logs security events

What Gets Blocked

Advertising domains:

• Ad servers and ad networks
• Tracking pixels and beacons
• Analytics and user tracking
• Third-party advertising scripts

Security threats:

• Known malware distribution sites
• Phishing domains
• Malicious scripts
• Fake websites

What doesn't get blocked:

• Regular websites (news, shopping, social media)
• Streaming services (Netflix, YouTube, Spotify)
• Work and school websites
• Email and cloud storage
• Banking websites

DNS Filtering

How it works:

You type "example.com"
    ↓
Router checks: Is this safe?
    ✓ Safe → Returns correct address → Website loads
    ✗ Blocked → Returns nothing → Site won't load

Signs DNS filtering is working:

• Fewer ads on websites
• Faster page loading
• Cleaner website layouts
• Occasional "This site is blocked" messages

Testing DNS filtering: Try visiting known ad-serving domains - they should be blocked:

• doubleclick.net - Should not load
• googlesyndication.com - Should not load
• adserver.com - Should not load

These are ad servers, not regular websites, so blocking them is expected.

Performance:

• First lookup: 20-50ms (checking filters and cache)
• Cached lookups: <1ms (instant from cache)
• Average: So fast you won't notice

Firewall Protection

Automatic security:

• All incoming connections from internet blocked by default
• Internal devices can freely access internet
• Inter-device communication allowed
• Port scanning detection and blocking
• Brute force attack protection (fail2ban)

Security zones:

Intrusion detection: Your router automatically bans suspicious IP addresses:

• 5 failed SSH logins → 10 minute ban
• 10 failed web admin logins → 1 hour ban
• Port scan detected → 24 hour ban

Performance impact:

• CPU usage: <5% under normal load
• Added latency: <1ms
• Throughput: No reduction
• Memory: ~50MB RAM

Privacy Features

Tor Anonymous Browsing

What is Tor? Routes your traffic through multiple encrypted relays worldwide, making it virtually untraceable.

Normal browsing:

You → ISP → Website
(Website sees your real IP)

Tor browsing:

You → Tor Relay 1 → Tor Relay 2 → Tor Relay 3 → Website
(Website sees Tor exit node IP, not yours)

When to use Tor:

• Privacy-sensitive research
• Avoiding surveillance
• Bypassing censorship
• Accessing .onion sites
• Anonymous communication

When NOT to use Tor:

• Banking or shopping (too slow, often blocked)
• Streaming video (very slow)
• Large downloads (extremely slow)
• Regular browsing (unnecessarily slow)

How to use Tor:

Configure your browser with SOCKS5 proxy:

• Proxy Type: SOCKS5
• Proxy Address: Your router's address
• Proxy Port: 9100

Alternative HTTP tunnel proxy:

• Proxy Type: HTTP
• Proxy Address: Your router's address
• Proxy Port: 9111

Expected performance:

• Speed: 1-5 Mbps (very slow)
• Latency: +500-2000ms additional delay
• More CAPTCHAs and access challenges
• Some websites may block Tor

Privacy best practices:

• Use HTTPS websites (https://)
• Clear cookies and browsing history
• Don't login to personal accounts
• Use privacy-focused search engines
• Don't download large files

Encrypted DNS

DNSCrypt protection:

• Encrypts DNS queries between router and upstream servers
• ISP cannot see which websites you look up
• Uses privacy-respecting DNS providers (Cloudflare, Quad9)
• DNSSEC security validation
• No logging of your queries

Multi-layer DNS protection:

Your Request
    ↓
DNS Filtering (Ad Blocking)
    ↓
Encrypted DNS (Privacy)
    ↓
Internet

Device Access and File Sharing

Cross-Network Communication

Devices can communicate across wired and wireless networks:

• Print from phone to wired printer
• Stream from laptop to wired smart TV
• Access wired NAS from wireless tablet
• All automatic - no special configuration

Hostname Resolution

Access devices by name instead of IP:

• Devices automatically register when connecting
• Use friendly names: mynas, myprinter, myserver
• Works from both wired and wireless networks
• No IP addresses to remember

Example:

Instead of: http://192.168.76.100
Use: http://mynas

System Monitoring

Temperature Monitoring

Why it matters: Routers run 24/7 and generate constant heat. Proper cooling ensures reliable operation.

Temperature ranges:

• 35-50°C: Excellent - cool and efficient
• 50-65°C: Normal - good operating range
• 65-75°C: Warm - acceptable but monitor
• 75-80°C: Hot - improve cooling soon
• 80°C+: Throttling - immediate action needed

Check temperature:

vcgencmd measure_temp

Overheating symptoms:

• Slower network performance
• Increased latency
• Dropped connections
• Random reboots
• Service crashes

Cooling requirements by model:

Maintenance:

• Check temperature readings monthly
• Clean dust from heatsinks/fans
• Verify fan operation
• Ensure adequate ventilation

Network Health

Connection monitoring: Monitor your network performance:

• Active connections by device
• Recently blocked attempts
• Top bandwidth users
• Connection protocols breakdown

Performance indicators:

• DNS resolution time
• Cache hit rates
• Blocked query percentage
• Firewall throughput

Common Tasks

Connecting New Devices

Wired devices:

1. Plug in Ethernet cable
2. Device automatically gets configuration
3. You're online

Wireless devices:

1. Select WiFi network
2. Enter password
3. Device automatically gets configuration
4. You're online

Verification:

• Can you browse websites?
• Can you ping other devices?
• Did you receive an IP address?

Accessing Network Shares

File sharing services: Your router may provide network file shares (Samba/NFS) depending on configuration.

Access methods:

Windows:

\\[router-address]\share-name

macOS:

smb://[router-address]/share-name

Linux:

smb://[router-address]/share-name
# or
mount -t cifs //[router-address]/share-name /mnt/point

Port Forwarding

When you need it:

• Running a web server
• Hosting game servers
• Remote access applications
• Security cameras with remote viewing

How to set up: Contact your network administrator to configure port forwarding rules. For security reasons, port forwarding requires administrative access.

Security considerations:

• Only forward ports you actively use
• Use non-standard external ports when possible
• Keep forwarded services up to date
• Monitor logs for unauthorized access attempts

Troubleshooting

Connection Issues

Can't connect to network:

Check:

1. Router is powered on
2. Ethernet cable is properly connected (wired)
3. WiFi password is correct (wireless)
4. Network name (SSID) is correct (wireless)
5. Device WiFi/network adapter is enabled

Try:

1. Restart your device
2. Forget network and reconnect
3. Try other network (wired ↔ wireless)
4. Restart router (last resort)

Slow connection speeds:

Diagnose:

1. Run speed test to establish baseline
2. Check distance from router (WiFi)
3. Verify internet service is working
4. Check number of connected devices
5. Monitor for throttling (temperature)

Improve:

• Move closer to router (WiFi)
• Switch to wired connection
• Reduce number of active devices
• Check router temperature
• Upgrade to better hardware (Pi 4/5)

Website Access Issues

Specific website won't load:

Possible causes:

1. Website is on blocklist (DNS filtering)
2. Website is actually down
3. Old DNS entry cached
4. Firewall rule blocking

Troubleshooting:

1. Try accessing from mobile data to verify site is up
2. Wait a few minutes and try again (cache)
3. Try accessing by IP address (bypass DNS)
4. Contact network administrator to check blocklist

All websites failing:

This indicates DNS service is down:

1. Check router is powered on and connected
2. Restart network connection on your device
3. Restart router
4. Contact network administrator

DNS and Filtering Issues

Too many ads getting through:

Some ads are served from same domain as content (YouTube, Facebook). DNS filtering only blocks separate ad domains. For these, use browser-based ad blocking.

Legitimate site is blocked:

Symptoms:

• Website won't load or gives error
• Works on mobile data but not home network
• Site worked before but doesn't now

Solutions:

1. Verify website is legitimate
2. Contact network administrator to whitelist domain
3. Document the full URL and error message
4. Wait 24 hours (blocklists update regularly)

Slow DNS lookups:

Symptoms:

• Websites take long time to start loading
• First connection is very slow
• Subsequent connections are fast

Solutions:

1. Check router is not under heavy load
2. Restart network connection on your device
3. Clear DNS cache on your device
4. Contact network administrator

Firewall and Access Issues

Can't access a service:

Symptoms:

• Application says "connection refused" or "timeout"
• Port forwarding not working
• Remote access fails

Troubleshooting:

1. Check firewall logs for blocked connections
2. Verify service is actually running
3. Test from internal network first
4. Check port numbers are correct
5. Contact administrator for firewall rules

Getting locked out (fail2ban):

Symptoms:

• Can't access SSH or web admin
• Connection times out
• Works from different location/IP

Cause: Too many failed login attempts triggered automatic IP ban.

Solution: Wait for ban to expire (10 minutes to 24 hours) or contact administrator to manually unban your IP address.

Tor Issues

Tor connection not working:

Solutions:

1. Verify proxy settings (address and port)
2. Try HTTP tunnel (port 9111) instead of SOCKS5 (port 9100)
3. Wait 30-60 seconds for Tor to bootstrap
4. Check with administrator that Tor service is running

Tor extremely slow:

This is normal, but if it's worse than usual:

1. Check regular internet connection speed
2. Try again later (Tor network might be congested)
3. Close and reopen connection (new circuit)

Website blocks Tor:

This is common - many websites block Tor exit nodes.

• Use different website
• Access without Tor (if privacy isn't critical)
• Use VPN instead of Tor

Hardware Issues

Router overheating:

Immediate actions:

1. Check current temperature
2. Improve ventilation (move to cooler location)
3. Clean dust from heatsink/fan
4. Reduce ambient temperature

Short-term:

• Add desk fan nearby
• Open case for better airflow
• Limit concurrent connections

Long-term:

• Install proper heatsink (Pi 3B+)
• Add or upgrade fan (Pi 4)
• Install active cooler (Pi 5 - required)
• Relocate to cooler spot

Random reboots:

Possible causes:

1. Overheating (check temperature)
2. Power supply issues (use official power supply)
3. SD card corruption (run filesystem check)
4. Software crash (check logs)

Solutions:

1. Monitor temperature
2. Replace power supply with official one
3. Test with different SD card
4. Contact administrator for log analysis

WiFi-Specific Issues

iOS device disconnects when screen locks:

This should not happen - your router has iOS power management optimizations. If you experience this:

1. Forget WiFi network and reconnect
2. Restart your iOS device
3. Update to latest iOS version
4. Contact administrator (may need configuration adjustment)

Wireless range is poor:

Raspberry Pi 3B+ has limited WiFi range:

1. Move router to central location
2. Reduce obstacles (walls, furniture)
3. Change WiFi channel (avoid interference)
4. Consider WiFi extender
5. Upgrade to Pi 4/5 (better WiFi)

Frequent WiFi disconnections:

Troubleshooting:

1. Check distance from router
2. Check for interference (microwave, cordless phones)
3. Monitor signal strength
4. Try different WiFi channel
5. Update device WiFi drivers

Best Practices

Daily Operations

Connect and forget:

• Network is designed to "just work"
• No daily maintenance required
• Automatic updates and filtering
• Monitoring happens in background

When to restart router:

• Performance degradation
• After major network changes
• Monthly maintenance (optional)
• Troubleshooting last resort

Security Practices

Password management:

• Use strong WiFi password
• Don't share WiFi password publicly
• Change password if compromised
• Use WPA2/WPA3 encryption

Network safety:

• Keep devices updated
• Use HTTPS websites (https://)
• Don't disable firewall
• Monitor for unusual activity

Privacy protection:

• Use encrypted DNS (automatic)
• Enable Tor for sensitive activities
• Clear browser cookies regularly
• Use privacy-focused services

Performance Optimization

Network performance:

• Use wired connection when possible
• Keep devices close to router (WiFi)
• Limit bandwidth-heavy activities
• Monitor connected device count
• Regular temperature monitoring

Cooling maintenance:

• Check temperature monthly
• Clean dust from cooling system
• Verify fan operation (if equipped)
• Ensure adequate ventilation
• Monitor for throttling

When to Contact Administrator

Immediate contact needed:

• Router completely offline
• Security incident suspected
• Multiple devices having issues
• Persistent overheating
• Firewall blocking legitimate traffic

Can wait for regular support:

• Single device connection issues
• Minor performance degradation
• Feature requests
• Configuration changes
• Usage questions

Advanced Features

Static IP Reservations

What it does: Ensures a device always gets the same IP address based on its MAC address.

When you need it:

• Servers and NAS devices
• Network printers
• Smart home hubs
• Port forwarding destinations
• Monitoring systems

How to request: Contact network administrator with:

• Device name and purpose
• Desired IP address
• Device MAC address

Custom DNS Records

What it does: Creates custom hostname-to-IP mappings for internal services.

Use cases:

• Internal web servers
• Custom service names
• Service aliases
• Development environments

How to request: Contact administrator with desired hostname and target IP.

Network Monitoring

Available metrics: Depending on configuration, you may have access to:

• Real-time connection statistics
• Bandwidth usage by device
• DNS query logs (if enabled)
• Firewall activity
• System health metrics

Access: Contact administrator for monitoring dashboard access if available.

Understanding Network Architecture

Network Segments

Your network consists of two separate segments:

LAN (Wired) - 192.168.76.0/24:

• Gateway: 192.168.76.1
• Available IPs: 192.168.76.100 - 192.168.76.254
• DHCP lease: 24 hours
• Best for: Stationary devices

WiFi (Wireless) - 192.168.77.0/24:

• Gateway: 192.168.77.1
• Available IPs: 192.168.77.100 - 192.168.77.254
• DHCP lease: 15 minutes (optimized for mobile devices)
• Best for: Mobile devices

Cross-network routing: Devices on different networks can communicate automatically. No special configuration needed.

Service Ports

Standard services:

• HTTP: Port 80
• HTTPS: Port 443
• SSH: Port 22 (admin access only)
• DNS: Port 53 (automatic)

Proxy services:

• Tor SOCKS5: Port 9100
• Tor HTTP Tunnel: Port 9111
• Squid Proxy: Port 3128 (if enabled)
• Privoxy: Port 8118 (if enabled)

Admin interfaces: Contact administrator for access to management interfaces.

DNS Resolution Chain

How your DNS requests are processed:

1. Client query: Your device asks router for website address
2. Local zones: Router checks internal network domains first
3. DNS filtering: External domains checked against blocklists
4. Encrypted upstream: Clean queries sent to encrypted DNS servers
5. Response: Address returned to your device

Result:

• Ads and malware blocked
• Your privacy protected (encrypted queries)
• Fast response (local caching)
• Reliable resolution (multiple upstream servers)

Appendix

Quick Reference

Network Details:

• Wired LAN: 192.168.76.0/24, Gateway: 192.168.76.1
• Wireless: 192.168.77.0/24, Gateway: 192.168.77.1
• DNS: Automatic (router address)
• DHCP: Automatic configuration

Tor Proxy:

• SOCKS5: Port 9100 (preferred)
• HTTP Tunnel: Port 9111 (alternative)

Common Commands:

Check temperature:

vcgencmd measure_temp

Renew DHCP (Linux):

sudo dhclient -r && sudo dhclient

Renew DHCP (Windows):

ipconfig /release
ipconfig /renew

Test DNS:

nslookup example.com

Temperature Guidelines:

• Normal: 35-65°C
• Warm: 65-75°C
• Hot: 75-80°C
• Critical: 80°C+ (throttling)

Common Error Messages

"Limited connectivity":

• Cause: DHCP configuration incomplete
• Fix: Renew DHCP lease

"DNS resolution failed":

• Cause: DNS service unavailable
• Fix: Check router status, restart device

"Connection refused":

• Cause: Firewall blocking or service down
• Fix: Check firewall logs, verify service running

"This site can't be reached":

• Cause: DNS filtering or network issue
• Fix: Verify site is up, check DNS filtering

"Too many authentication failures":

• Cause: Fail2ban temporary IP ban
• Fix: Wait for ban expiration or contact administrator

Getting Help

Self-service troubleshooting:

1. Restart your device
2. Renew DHCP lease
3. Check this guide
4. Test from different device
5. Check router status (powered, connected)

When to contact administrator:

• Router offline or unresponsive
• Multiple devices affected
• Persistent issues after troubleshooting
• Security concerns
• Configuration changes needed

What to include in support request:

• Detailed description of issue
• What you've tried already
• Error messages (exact text)
• Affected device(s)
• When issue started

Related Documentation

• Installation Pimeleon - Initial setup and installation
• Network Architecture - Technical network details
• DNS Filtering - Ad blocking and privacy
• Firewall Protection - Security features
• Hardware Pimeleon - Cooling and hardware recommendations
• Tor Anonymity - Anonymous browsing
• DHCP Service - Automatic configuration details

Remember: Your Pimeleon router is designed to "just work" with automatic security, filtering, and configuration. Most users will never need to think about network settings - just connect and enjoy a faster, safer internet experience!