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Self-Hosting AdGuard Home: Network-Wide Ad Blocking

AdGuard Home blocks ads and trackers at the DNS level. All devices on your network get ad-free browsing without installing anything.

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What Is AdGuard Home?


AdGuard Home is a DNS server that blocks ads and trackers. Instead of blocking in the browser (like uBlock Origin), it blocks at the network level — every device benefits.


How DNS-Level Blocking Works


1. Your device asks: "What's the IP for ads.trackercompany.com?"

2. AdGuard Home checks its blocklists

3. If blocked: returns 0.0.0.0 (nowhere)

4. If allowed: resolves normally


The ad never loads. No browser extension needed.


Benefits


All Devices

Phones, tablets, smart TVs, IoT devices — everything that uses DNS. Even devices that don't support ad blockers.


Faster Browsing

Blocked ads don't load. Pages load faster and use less bandwidth.


Privacy

Tracking pixels, analytics scripts, and data collection domains are blocked.


Reduced Bandwidth

Ads can account for 30-50% of page weight. Blocking them saves bandwidth.


AdGuard Home vs Pi-hole


  • AdGuard Home: Modern UI, HTTPS filtering, built-in DHCP, easier setup
  • Pi-hole: More mature, larger community, more documentation
  • Both: Excellent at ad blocking

    • For new setups: AdGuard Home. It's more modern and easier to configure.


    Features


    Blocklists

    Multiple built-in blocklists. Add custom lists for more comprehensive blocking.


    Per-Client Settings

    Different blocking rules for different devices. Kids' tablets get stricter filtering.


    Encrypted DNS

  • DNS-over-HTTPS (DoH)
  • DNS-over-TLS (DoT)
  • DNS-over-QUIC (DoQ)

    • Query Log

    See every DNS query from every device. Useful for debugging and understanding network traffic.


    DHCP Server

    Built-in DHCP server. AdGuard Home can replace your router's DHCP to ensure all devices use it for DNS.


    Deployment


    1. Deploy AdGuard Home on TinyPod

    2. Configure upstream DNS (Cloudflare 1.1.1.1, Google 8.8.8.8, or Quad9 9.9.9.9)

    3. Enable blocklists

    4. Point your router's DNS to your TinyPod server

    5. All devices now get ad-free DNS


    Resources: 1 CPU, 256 MB RAM.


    Remote DNS


    Run AdGuard Home on your TinyPod server and use encrypted DNS (DoH/DoT) from anywhere. Your phone uses your own DNS server even on cellular or public WiFi.