How to Set Up Pi-hole: Block Ads on Your Whole Network (2026)
Pi-hole is the perfect first homelab project: it's a network-wide ad and tracker blocker that runs on tiny, cheap hardware and benefits every device in your home — phones, TVs, and IoT gadgets included. Here's how to set it up.
1. Pick a tiny host
Pi-hole barely sips resources, so almost anything works: a Raspberry Pi or SBC, or a cheap thin client for an x86 option. It just needs to run 24/7.
2. Install Pi-hole
Install a lightweight OS (Raspberry Pi OS Lite or Debian), then run the official one-line installer from pi-hole.net. The installer walks you through choosing an upstream DNS provider and sets a static IP — give your host a fixed address so your router can always find it.
3. Point your network at it
The magic step: in your router's DHCP settings, set the DNS server to your Pi-hole's IP. Now every device that gets an address from your router uses Pi-hole automatically — no per-device setup.
4. Tune it
Add a few extra blocklists, and whitelist anything that breaks (some sites and apps dislike DNS blocking). The admin dashboard shows exactly what's being blocked in real time.
Run it on a real homelab node
Once you're hooked, run Pi-hole as a container on a mini PC alongside your other services (see our Proxmox guide) — that's the natural next step.
📘 Skip the trial-and-error: The Homelab Starter Blueprint
A step-by-step playbook — plan, choose gear, build & run your first homelab, with three ready-to-buy builds and checklists. The shortcut past the expensive beginner mistakes.
Get the Blueprint — $19 →