Yes, some people have used PiHole to secure their internet connections.
Yes, some people have used PiHole to secure their internet connections.
Has anyone explored the PiHole setup for a Raspberry Pi? It functions as your DNS server and helps block ads throughout your Wi-Fi network. I’m curious about its popularity and whether it delivers reliable performance for users.
I've tried it before mainly for testing purposes; it functions adequately though it doesn't match a native adblocker. The advertisements display a "cannot connect message" warning yet occupy the screen still. YouTube video ads are inconsistent, and sometimes mobile apps prevent playback entirely.
I'm using a Pi-hole on my home network and it performed well initially. I moved it to an Ubuntu Server VM in the office and rolled it out company-wide. Some placeholder sites still load, but ads are missing. It's not as effective as local blockers like adblockpro, though it does save bandwidth. The default lists are decent, but custom lists need careful handling to avoid blocking most of the internet. There are many users who might be upset about blocking AWS, and you can find a large collection of well-maintained lists there.
I installed Debian 9.1 on an old laptop and set up Pi-Hole there. It’s great having ad blocking on devices that can’t do it otherwise, just like with my Xbox One and PS4. My smartphone works perfectly too.
Highlighting this post to emphasize Pi-Hole's greatness. I installed it in a Ubuntu VM using VMware Workstation and redirected my router's DNS to the VM's IP. It worked smoothly with minimal effort. No more ads on my phone, and Windows 10 can't interfere with its telemetry. The interface is user-friendly, avoiding command-line complexity. You can also integrate adblock plus blocklists (e.g., easylist, easyprivacy).