Setting Up and Running Pihole (Network wide ad-blocker) on Pi Zero 2 W

I will be demonstrating how to set up Pi-hole, an open-source application that functions as a sinkhole and network-wide ad blocker.

This lightweight device, with just 500MB RAM, will run Pi-hole and serve as a DNS server for our home network, effectively blocking ads across all devices connected to the home router.

Bill of Materials:

• Raspberry Pi Zero 2 W – Approx. ₹1300

• 32GB Micro SD Card – Approx. ₹300–₹400

• Phone Charger and USB 2.0 Cable – For power supply

Key Takeaways:

• No need for a powerful or always-on machine to run a DNS ad-blocker — a lightweight setup is sufficient.

• Learn how to flash the OS onto an SD card, boot the OS, and install Pi-hole using a simple installation script.

• Gain hands-on experience in configuring a local DNS to route all network traffic through Pi-hole, enabling effective ad-blocking, monitoring, and device management on your home network.