Pi-hole Setup Guide: Block Ads on Your Entire Network

The moment I saw my smart TV phoning home to Samsung’s ad servers 47 times in a single day, I knew something had to change. Traditional ad blockers work great in browsers, but they’re useless against the tracking baked into every smart device on your network. That’s when I discovered Pi-hole, and it completely changed how I think about network security.

Running a Raspberry Pi ad blocker using Pi-hole has eliminated roughly 25-30% of all DNS queries on my home network. Those blocked requests were ads, trackers, telemetry data, and other digital noise I never asked for. Setting this up took about 30 minutes, costs under $50 in hardware, and protects every device automatically without installing software on each one.

What is Pi-hole and How Does It Work?

Pi-hole is a DNS sinkhole that acts as your network’s gatekeeper. Instead of letting your devices connect directly to advertising and tracking domains, Pi-hole intercepts those requests and returns nothing. The ads never download, the trackers never load, and your browsing gets noticeably faster.

Here’s the technical breakdown: when you type a URL into your browser, your device asks a DNS server to translate that domain name into an IP address. Normally, your ISP handles this. With Pi-hole, your Raspberry Pi becomes the DNS server. Before forwarding legitimate requests to upstream DNS providers like Cloudflare or Google, Pi-hole checks each domain against blocklists containing hundreds of thousands of known advertising and tracking domains.

If the domain is on a blocklist, Pi-hole returns a non-routable address (0.0.0.0), and the connection dies before it starts. Your device can’t load what it can’t reach.

Why Pi-hole Beats Browser-Based Ad Blockers

Feature	Browser Ad Blockers	Pi-hole
Devices Protected	Single browser	Entire network
Smart TV Ads	No protection	Blocked
Mobile App Ads	Limited	Blocked
IoT Device Tracking	No protection	Blocked
Installation Required	Per browser/device	Once, on Pi
Resource Usage	Browser memory	Minimal (runs on Pi)
Blocks Before Download	No (hides after load)	Yes (never downloads)

Hardware Requirements for Your Raspberry Pi Ad Blocker

The beauty of Pi-hole is its minimal resource requirements. You don’t need the latest hardware to run an effective Raspberry Pi ad blocker.

Recommended Hardware Specifications

Component	Minimum	Recommended
Raspberry Pi Model	Any model with network	Pi Zero 2 W or Pi 3B+
RAM	512MB	1GB or more
Storage	2GB free space	8GB+ microSD card
Network	WiFi (not ideal)	Ethernet connection
Power	Standard Pi power supply	Official Pi power adapter

My Recommended Shopping List

Item	Purpose	Approximate Cost
Raspberry Pi Zero 2 W	Pi-hole server	$15
32GB microSD Card	OS and storage	$8
Micro USB Power Supply	Power	$8
microSD Card Reader	Initial setup	$5
Case (optional)	Protection	$5-10
Total		~$40-45

For dedicated Pi-hole use, the Pi Zero 2 W offers the best value. If you want to run additional services or prefer a hardwired Ethernet connection without adapters, the Raspberry Pi 3B+ or Pi 4 makes more sense.

Step-by-Step Pi-hole Installation Guide

Let’s walk through the complete setup process for your Raspberry Pi ad blocker.

Step 1: Install Raspberry Pi OS Lite

Download the official Raspberry Pi Imager from raspberrypi.com. Choose Raspberry Pi OS Lite (32-bit) for a headless installation. This version runs without a desktop environment, maximizing resources for Pi-hole.

Before writing the image, click the gear icon to configure:

• Set hostname (e.g., “pihole”)
• Enable SSH with password authentication
• Configure WiFi credentials (if not using Ethernet)
• Set username and password

Write the image to your microSD card and insert it into your Pi.

Step 2: Find Your Pi’s IP Address and Connect

Power on your Raspberry Pi. After about 60 seconds, find its IP address through your router’s DHCP client list or by scanning your network with tools like Angry IP Scanner or the Fing app.

Connect via SSH from another computer:

ssh username@192.168.1.xxx

Replace “username” with what you configured and the IP address with your Pi’s actual address.

Step 3: Update the System

Before installing Pi-hole, ensure your system packages are current:

sudo apt update && sudo apt upgrade -y

This process may take several minutes on first boot.

Step 4: Run the Pi-hole Installation Script

Install Pi-hole with a single command:

curl -sSL https://install.pi-hole.net | bash

The installer walks you through configuration with a graphical interface in the terminal.

Step 5: Configure Installation Options

The installer presents several choices. Here are recommended settings:

Setting	Recommended Choice	Why
Upstream DNS	Cloudflare (1.1.1.1)	Fast, privacy-focused
Blocklist	StevenBlack’s Unified	Comprehensive, well-maintained
Admin Interface	Yes	Essential for management
Web Server	Yes (Lighttpd)	Powers admin interface
Query Logging	Yes	Enables statistics
Privacy Mode	Show everything	Full visibility

After installation completes, the script displays your admin password. Write this down immediately. You can change it later with:

pihole -a -p

Step 6: Assign a Static IP Address

Your Pi-hole needs a consistent IP address so devices can always find it. Configure this either on your Pi or through DHCP reservation on your router.

For static configuration on the Pi, edit the network configuration:

sudo nano /etc/dhcpcd.conf

Add at the bottom:

interface eth0

static ip_address=192.168.1.52/24

static routers=192.168.1.1

static domain_name_servers=1.1.1.1

Adjust the IP addresses to match your network. Reboot with sudo reboot.

Configuring Your Network to Use Pi-hole

Installing Pi-hole is only half the battle. You need to direct your network’s DNS traffic through your Raspberry Pi ad blocker.

Method 1: Router-Level Configuration (Recommended)

The best approach configures your router to distribute Pi-hole’s IP as the DNS server to all devices via DHCP.

Access your router’s admin interface (typically 192.168.1.1 or 192.168.0.1). Navigate to DHCP or DNS settings and enter your Pi-hole’s IP address as the primary DNS server.

Router Brand	Typical Location
Netgear	Advanced → Setup → Internet
Linksys	Connectivity → Local Network
ASUS	LAN → DHCP Server
TP-Link	DHCP → DHCP Settings

Important: Leave the secondary DNS blank or set it to your Pi-hole as well. If you set a different secondary DNS, devices may bypass Pi-hole when it blocks a domain.

Method 2: Pi-hole as DHCP Server

Some routers don’t allow DNS customization. In this case, disable DHCP on your router and enable it in Pi-hole.

In the Pi-hole admin interface:

1. Navigate to Settings → DHCP
2. Enable DHCP server
3. Configure IP range (e.g., 192.168.1.100 – 192.168.1.254)
4. Set your router as the gateway
5. Save changes

Then disable DHCP on your router to prevent conflicts.

Method 3: Per-Device Configuration

As a fallback, configure individual devices to use Pi-hole’s IP as their DNS server. This works but requires manual setup on each device and doesn’t protect devices you forget to configure.

Adding Blocklists for Maximum Protection

The default Pi-hole installation includes StevenBlack’s Unified Hosts list with approximately 130,000 domains. Adding additional blocklists dramatically improves coverage.

Top Recommended Blocklists

Blocklist	Focus Area	Domains
StevenBlack Unified	Ads + Tracking	~130,000
OISD Full	Comprehensive	~400,000
Hagezi Multi Pro	Balanced protection	~300,000
Firebog Ticked Lists	Curated, low false positives	Varies
EasyList	Browser ads	~70,000

How to Add Blocklists

1. Log into Pi-hole admin (http://your-pi-ip/admin)
2. Navigate to Group Management → Adlists
3. Paste the blocklist URL
4. Click “Add”
5. Update gravity: run pihole -g or use Tools → Update Gravity

Recommended Blocklist URLs

For a solid, low-maintenance setup, add these URLs:

https://raw.githubusercontent.com/StevenBlack/hosts/master/hosts

https://raw.githubusercontent.com/hagezi/dns-blocklists/main/domains/pro.txt

https://big.oisd.nl/domainswildcard

Avoid adding too many overlapping lists. More isn’t always better. Excessive lists slow gravity updates and increase false positives without meaningful improvement in blocking.

Understanding the Pi-hole Dashboard

Your Pi-hole admin interface provides valuable insights into network activity.

Key Dashboard Statistics

Metric	What It Shows
Total Queries	DNS requests processed today
Queries Blocked	Requests matching blocklists
Percent Blocked	Blocking efficiency (typically 15-35%)
Domains on Blocklist	Total unique blocked domains

What to Expect

A typical home network with several devices sees these patterns:

Device Type	Queries Per Day	Typically Blocked
Smart TV	500-800	150-300 (30-40%)
Smartphone	100-200	30-60 (25-35%)
Windows PC	200-400	50-100 (20-30%)
Smart Speaker	200-300	40-80 (20-30%)
Gaming Console	300-500	60-120 (20-25%)

If you’re seeing 0% blocked, your devices aren’t using Pi-hole as their DNS server. Verify your router configuration.

Troubleshooting Common Pi-hole Issues

Even well-configured Raspberry Pi ad blocker setups encounter occasional problems.

Website or App Not Working

Some services break when their tracking domains are blocked. Check the Query Log to identify recently blocked domains and whitelist the necessary ones:

pihole -w domain-to-whitelist.com

Common domains that may need whitelisting:

• s.youtube.com (YouTube history)
• redirector.googlevideo.com (YouTube)
• Various CDN domains for specific services

Pi-hole Not Blocking Ads

Symptom	Likely Cause	Solution
Ads still appearing	DNS not pointed to Pi-hole	Verify router DNS settings
Some devices unprotected	DHCP lease not renewed	Reconnect device to network
YouTube ads showing	YouTube serves ads from same domain as content	Consider browser extension supplement
Sponsored content visible	Not traditional ads	Cannot be DNS-blocked

Slow DNS Resolution

If browsing feels sluggish:

• Check Pi-hole’s upstream DNS provider
• Verify network connection stability
• Consider using faster upstream DNS (Cloudflare 1.1.1.1)
• Enable conditional forwarding if using local domain names

Advanced Pi-hole Configuration

Once your basic Pi-hole setup is working, consider these enhancements.

Enable DNSSEC

DNSSEC validates DNS responses haven’t been tampered with. Enable it in Settings → DNS → Use DNSSEC. Only works if your upstream DNS provider supports it (Cloudflare and Google do).

Set Up Unbound for Recursive DNS

For maximum privacy, run your own recursive DNS resolver with Unbound. This eliminates reliance on third-party DNS providers entirely. Your Pi-hole queries root DNS servers directly.

Install Unbound:

sudo apt install unbound

Configure it to work with Pi-hole by creating a custom configuration file and pointing Pi-hole to 127.0.0.1#5335 as the upstream DNS.

Configure Local DNS Entries

Use Pi-hole to resolve local hostnames. Navigate to Local DNS → DNS Records and add entries for your internal servers and services. This lets you access devices by name instead of IP address.

Useful Resources for Pi-hole Users

Resource	URL	Description
Pi-hole Official	pi-hole.net	Downloads, documentation
Pi-hole Discourse	discourse.pi-hole.net	Community forum
Firebog Blocklists	firebog.net	Curated blocklist collection
StevenBlack Hosts	github.com/StevenBlack/hosts	Popular unified blocklist
OISD Blocklists	oisd.nl	Comprehensive blocklists
Hagezi DNS Blocklists	github.com/hagezi/dns-blocklists	Well-maintained lists
AvoidTheHack Guide	avoidthehack.com/best-pihole-blocklists	Blocklist recommendations

Frequently Asked Questions

Will Pi-hole block YouTube ads?

Unfortunately, Pi-hole has limited effectiveness against YouTube ads because Google serves advertisements from the same domains as legitimate video content. Blocking these domains would break YouTube entirely. For YouTube specifically, browser extensions like uBlock Origin or YouTube Premium remain the best solutions. Pi-hole still blocks trackers and third-party ads across YouTube.

Can I run Pi-hole on something other than a Raspberry Pi?

Yes. Despite the name, Pi-hole runs on any Linux system. You can install it in a Docker container on a NAS (Synology, QNAP), a virtual machine, an old laptop, or any Debian-based system. The Raspberry Pi simply offers an affordable, low-power option that can run 24/7 indefinitely.

Does Pi-hole slow down my internet connection?

No. In most cases, Pi-hole actually speeds up browsing because blocked content never downloads. DNS queries add minimal latency (typically under 10ms locally), and caching frequently requested domains makes subsequent lookups nearly instantaneous. The slight DNS overhead is more than offset by not loading megabytes of advertising content.

What happens if my Raspberry Pi loses power or fails?

Without your Pi-hole responding to DNS queries, devices on your network will experience DNS failures until the secondary DNS kicks in or you fix the issue. To minimize this risk: use a quality power supply, consider a small UPS, set your router as secondary DNS (accepting some ads will slip through), or run a second Pi-hole for redundancy.

How much maintenance does Pi-hole require?

Very little. Pi-hole updates blocklists automatically via gravity (weekly by default). Occasionally check for software updates with pihole -up. Review your Query Log periodically to catch any false positives affecting your network. Most users spend perhaps 30 minutes per month on maintenance after initial setup.

Start Protecting Your Network Today

Setting up a Raspberry Pi ad blocker with Pi-hole is one of the highest-impact projects you can do for your home network. In under an hour and for less than $50, you gain network-wide protection that works automatically for every device, eliminating the need to install and maintain ad blockers on each individual phone, tablet, computer, and smart device.

The real eye-opener comes after a few days of running Pi-hole. Watching the dashboard statistics reveal just how much your devices communicate with tracking servers without your knowledge is sobering. My smart TV sends hundreds of requests to advertising domains daily. My children’s tablets constantly phone home to analytics services. All of that noise now disappears before it reaches those devices.

Your Pi is waiting. Your network deserves better than constant surveillance. Make it happen.

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