DNS ad blocker: Pi-hole beyond the browser

Why it matters

The most useful part of Switch and Click’s experiment is the improvement on devices where browser extensions cannot help. A streaming box or an ad-heavy mobile app gives network filtering a job of its own. For someone who enjoys running services at home, Pi-hole also offers a practical reason to learn how DNS reaches each device.

The boundaries matter. Pi-hole filters domain lookups; it cannot inspect every component inside a page and independently remove the advertising. When ads share a domain with the content you want, DNS filtering cannot reliably separate them. The project’s own guidance explains why YouTube’s in-video ads remain an unreliable target. Read the official forum explanation.

My standard for adopting this setup would be straightforward: fewer distractions on specific devices, working applications, and a maintenance burden I can accept. The channel demonstrates the potential. Turning that experiment into dependable infrastructure requires a test plan, a way to investigate breakage, and a documented way back.

Key points

• 01:05 A Raspberry Pi is optional. The channel reuses a computer and runs Pi-hole through Docker. That makes experimentation accessible, although the host now needs to remain available whenever other devices depend on its DNS service.
• 03:16 Client configuration determines coverage. A running dashboard does not mean every device uses the resolver. Directing clients to a stable server address is the connection between an installed service and actual network filtering.
• 07:39 A larger list is not a useful outcome by itself. Millions of blocked domains still leave advertising visible in the experiment. Each additional list should earn its place through an observable benefit and acceptable application behavior.
• 08:13 Some remaining ads reveal an architectural limit. The channel connects persistent advertising to content and ads sharing a domain. That is a reason to reconsider the filtering layer, rather than keep searching for a sufficiently enormous blocklist.
• 08:45 Results vary by application and device. Mobile app banners disappear in the demonstration, while the YouTube app still shows ads. The subsequent Roku test leaves empty advertising spaces, illustrating that blocking a request does not redesign the screen.
• 11:30 Remote DNS needs a reachable address. In the demonstrated configuration, replacing the server’s local address with its Tailscale address fixes the problem. The broader lesson is to trace where a lookup goes before changing filtering rules.

How to apply

1. Give your DNS ad blocker a measurable job

Choose two problems you actually encounter: a banner inside a frequently used app and an intrusive tile on a streaming device, for example. Record what happens before changing anything. If your main objective is removing YouTube app advertisements, its DNS limitations should influence the decision immediately.

I would run a seven-day pilot with three acceptance criteria: the intended devices send queries to Pi-hole, the selected annoyances decrease, and essential applications keep working. This is a proposed evaluation method, rather than a result reported by the channel.

2. Select a host you can keep available

Pi-hole supports direct installation on compatible Linux distributions and deployment in a container. Running Docker on Windows or macOS has its own requirements; the video’s broad compatibility claim needs that qualification. Start with the official Pi-hole prerequisites and check Docker’s requirements for your chosen host.

For a container deployment, use the official Compose example. Customize the password, time zone, and persistent storage, and check for conflicting DNS or web interface ports. Restart the host before expanding the pilot, then confirm that the service and its configuration return.

Include electricity in the decision. As an illustrative calculation, a machine drawing 30 watts continuously consumes about 21.6 kWh over 30 days. Multiply that by your electricity rate. Existing hardware can remove the purchase cost while still adding an operating expense.

3. Pilot one client and practice reversing the change

Record the client’s original DNS settings, then point only your test computer at Pi-hole. Both individual configuration and router-based distribution are supported approaches. See the official post-installation options.

Use a small acceptance checklist:

| Test | What to check | |---|---| | Selected app or website | Visible advertising and working controls | | Work login, meeting, and daily tools | Authentication, loading, and stability | | Server restart | DNS service and configuration recovery | | Pilot removal | Normal browsing after restoring previous DNS settings |

After that passes, consider distributing the resolver through your router. Look for the setting that supplies DNS to local network clients; labels and behavior vary by router. Keep a record of the previous configuration so recovery does not become a memory exercise.

A public resolver added as a secondary DNS server can also receive queries and bypass filtering. It should not be assumed to remain idle until Pi-hole fails. The official community discussion explains this behavior.

4. Treat application failures as evidence

When something breaks, note the device, time, and failed action. Inspect the query history and test a narrow exception for a relevant blocked domain. If you briefly disable blocking to compare behavior, restore it after the test.

Pi-hole provides query inspection and domain-level controls for this investigation. See the project’s feature overview. My operating rule would be one change at a time, with a short explanation. Adding several lists together makes it harder to identify which change caused a problem.

When a device produces no visible queries, investigate its actual DNS path. Encrypted DNS directed to another provider can bypass Pi-hole; adding entries to a local list cannot fix that routing choice. See the project forum’s discussion of DNS bypass.

5. Add remote access after local testing succeeds

For the arrangement shown in the video, install Tailscale on the server and phone, configure the server’s Tailscale address as the private network’s DNS resolver, and check the client DNS override. Verify Pi-hole’s listening configuration and firewall access, including the container path where applicable. Follow the official integration guide.

Turn off the phone’s Wi-Fi and repeat the same tests over cellular data. Check that the corresponding query appears in Pi-hole. That gives stronger evidence than loading an apparently clean page, since an individual visit might not have received an advertisement anyway.

6. Review the operational cost after a week

Compare visible improvements, broken functions, and time spent maintaining exceptions. The blocked-query percentage can help explain activity, but it does not directly measure saved attention or bandwidth. Repeated requests from one noisy device can dominate that number.

Decide who administers the service and how much query detail you need to retain. Pi-hole offers privacy levels that reduce recorded detail. Read the privacy-level documentation.

I would keep the setup if it made the selected devices more pleasant without creating a recurring troubleshooting chore. A modest filter that stays dependable would be a better addition to my daily infrastructure than an impressive domain count requiring constant intervention.