Self-Hosted DNS and Ad Blocking
Running your own DNS gives you network-wide ad blocking, local hostnames, and privacy from your ISP's resolver. Pi-hole is the popular default, AdGuard Home is the polished all-in-one, and Technitium is the choice when you want a full DNS server.
Updated 2026-06-03 · by Jonathan Caruso
Top pick
Pi-hole
Pi-hole is the classic network-wide ad blocker and DNS sinkhole. Point your router's DNS at it and every device on the network gets ad and tracker blocking, with a clean dashboard. It is simple, proven, and runs on a Raspberry Pi.
The options
Pi-hole
EUPL, freeA network-wide DNS ad blocker and sinkhole with a clean dashboard.
Visit Pi-hole site- Runs on
- Tiny. Runs on a Raspberry Pi.
- Pick it if
- You want simple, proven network-wide ad blocking.
AdGuard Home
GPL, freeAn all-in-one DNS ad blocker with encrypted DNS, parental controls, and per-client rules.
Visit AdGuard Home site- Runs on
- Tiny. Single binary or Docker.
- Pick it if
- You want a polished all-in-one with encrypted DNS built in.
Technitium DNS
GPL, freeA full DNS server with recursion, blocking, and authoritative zones.
Visit Technitium DNS site- Runs on
- Light. Runs via Docker or native.
- Pick it if
- You want a complete DNS server, not just an ad blocker.
How to choose
For most homelabs the choice is Pi-hole or AdGuard Home, and both block ads network-wide well. Pi-hole has the larger community and more guides; AdGuard Home bundles more in one binary, including encrypted DNS and per-client controls, without extra setup. Pick by which UI you prefer.
Reach for Technitium when you want a real DNS server: recursion, your own authoritative zones for local hostnames, and blocking all in one. It is more than an ad blocker, which is the point. Whichever you run, set it as your network's DNS at the router so every device benefits, and keep a second resolver configured as a fallback.
The verdict
For network-wide ad blocking, run Pi-hole or AdGuard Home. Pi-hole has the bigger community; AdGuard Home bundles encrypted DNS and per-client controls in one binary. Choose Technitium if you want a full DNS server with your own authoritative zones, not just blocking. Set whichever you pick as your router's DNS so every device benefits.
FAQ
What is self-hosted DNS?
Running your own DNS resolver on your network instead of using your ISP's or a public one. It lets you block ads and trackers network-wide, resolve local hostnames, and keep DNS queries off third-party servers. Pi-hole and AdGuard Home are the common tools.
Can I host my own DNS?
Yes. Pi-hole, AdGuard Home, and Technitium run on hardware as small as a Raspberry Pi. You point your router's DNS at the server, and every device on the network uses it.
Is 1.1.1.1 still one of the fastest?
Cloudflare's 1.1.1.1 is consistently among the fastest public resolvers, and many people set it as the upstream their Pi-hole or AdGuard Home forwards to. Self-hosting adds blocking and local resolution on top, then forwards out to a fast resolver.