Raspberry Pi 5 DNS Adblocker & DHCP Server

Project Overview

Configured a Raspberry Pi 5 to run as a DNS adblocker for my network, as well as a DHCP server to provide internet to a few devices. This project combines network administration, Linux system configuration, and security best practices.

Technologies Used

  • Raspberry Pi 5
  • Pi-hole (DNS Adblocker)
  • Pi-hole DHCP Server
  • Raspbian OS

Implementation Details

This project focused on configuring a Raspberry Pi 5 to act as a centralized DNS adblocker and local DNS server using Pi-hole. The goal was to improve network security, reduce unwanted traffic, and gain hands-on experience with Linux-based network services.

Setup Process

  • Installed Raspberry Pi OS Lite to reduce system overhead and improve performance.
  • Updated system packages and verified stable network connectivity.
  • Assigned a static IP address to ensure consistent DNS availability.
  • Installed Pi-hole using the official installation script.
  • Enabled the Pi-hole web admin interface for centralized monitoring and management.

Configuration

  • Configured Pi-hole as the primary DNS server at the router level.
  • Selected upstream DNS providers for external name resolution.
  • Applied default and custom blocklists to block ads, trackers, and malicious domains.
  • Created local DNS records to resolve internal hostnames.
  • Enabled logging and monitoring to analyze DNS queries and blocked requests.
  • Secured the admin interface with authentication and access restrictions.

Results

  • Successfully blocked ads and trackers across all connected devices at the DNS level.
  • Improved network performance by reducing unnecessary external requests.
  • Enhanced visibility into network traffic through DNS query logging.
  • Achieved stable, low-latency DNS resolution with continuous uptime.

Future Improvements

  • Modify the pi into becoming a full Wi-Fi router using a Wi-Fi adapter
  • Run a Virtual Private Network through the Wi-Fi it provides to further secure my home network
  • Configure to fully run a Minecraft server accessible through port 25565