Pi-hole network-wide ad blocker

What you’re building

Pi-hole is a Linux DNS sinkhole that blocks requests for configured unwanted domains before content reaches devices on the network. On a Raspberry Pi 5, Pi Zero 2 W, or Pi 400 running a supported Debian-family system, the installer deploys Pi-hole FTL, command-line administration, and a web dashboard. Once the router advertises the Pi-hole host as DNS, phones, computers, televisions, and other DHCP clients can receive network-wide filtering without individual browser extensions. The core constraint is network authority: merely installing the service does not route any client through it. The Pi should have a stable address, the router’s DHCP/DNS settings must be changed, and only one DHCP server should remain active if Pi-hole’s built-in DHCP fallback is used.

Key steps

1. Install a supported Linux system on the Raspberry Pi and give the host a stable network address.
2. Review and run Pi-hole’s official installer, choosing the interface, upstream DNS provider, and blocking options.
3. Open the Pi-hole dashboard and confirm that the FTL service is running.
4. Configure the router’s DHCP service to advertise the Pi-hole address as DNS; if that is impossible, disable router DHCP before enabling Pi-hole DHCP.
5. Renew a client’s DHCP lease and verify its DNS queries and blocked domains appear in the dashboard.