Your LocalNode relies on its IP address (e.g., 192.168.1.50) to communicate with your other devices. If your router changes this address unexpectedly, apps like WireGuard and AdGuard will instantly break. Here is how to lock it in place permanently.
Overview
By default, your home Wi-Fi router is in charge of handing out IP addresses. This is called DHCP. When the LocalNode boots up, it asks the router, "Who am I?" and the router replies, "You are 192.168.1.50 for the next 24 hours." We want to tell the router to give the LocalNode that exact same address forever.
How DHCP works
Every piece of network hardware (like your phone, your TV, and the LocalNode) has a unique, permanent fingerprint called a MAC Address. It looks like this: A1:B2:C3:D4:E5:F6.
A "DHCP Reservation" tells the router: "Every time you see this specific MAC address plug in, always give it the IP address 192.168.1.50."
Setting a Static IP (DHCP Reservation)
Because every router brand (Eero, Netgear, Xfinity, Asus) has a different interface, the exact menus will vary, but the process is identical.
Log into your home router's admin panel (usually 192.168.1.1 or 10.0.0.1). You can usually find the password printed on a sticker on the bottom of the router.
Look for a menu called Advanced Settings, LAN Setup, or Network Details.
Find the section labeled DHCP Reservations, Address Allocation, or Static IPs.
You will likely see a list of "Currently Attached Devices". Look for the one named localnode.
Click "Reserve", "Add", or the "+" button next to it.
Ensure the IP address it is reserving is the one you are currently using to access the dashboard.
Click Save.
💡 Tip: We highly recommend doing this on day one. If you skip this, a simple power outage could cause your router to assign the LocalNode a new IP address, forcing you to re-configure all your port forwarding rules.
Pi-hole documentation screenshot (pi-hole/docs, CC BY-SA 4.0). Consumer routers such as Netgear expose the same capability—locate DHCP reservations or static leases in your vendor UI.
Finding your LocalNode if the IP changes
If you forgot to set a DHCP reservation and the power went out, your LocalNode might now be 192.168.1.55, meaning your bookmarks will fail.
The easiest way to find it is to simply type http://localnode.local into your browser. This uses mDNS to find the server regardless of its IP address.
If that doesn't work, log into your router's admin panel and look at the "Attached Devices" list to find the new IP.
Once you find it, update your WireGuard Port Forwarding rules to point to the new IP address, and then immediately set a DHCP Reservation so it never happens again!
